Some Popular Echinacea Supplements

Q: Echinacea purpurea vs. Augustifolia Root. Difference in potency? Is the root more potent? What are the differences in effectiveness?

-Larry

A: We’re only aware of a few studies that compared different species. One study compared immune effects of echinacea but failed to show that any one species was the most potent; all tested species (which included angustifolia and purpurea) increased the same immune parameters. Another study compared the antioxidant effects of different echinacea species. That study showed that the chemical composition differed significantly between the purpurea and angustifolia, but that both possessed similar antioxidant properties.

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