Flu - Elderberry Study Shows Herb Shortens Duration of the Flu

Flu - Elderberry Study Shows Herb Shortens Duration of the Flu

This year's flu epidemic has hit America hard. Hospitals are packed. There is a shortage of flu vaccine. And the Center for Disease Control projects that twice as many people may die from the flu as did last year.

Many people are looking for recommendations for preventing and treating the flu.

Building up the immune system through herbs such as Echinacea, golden seal, astragalus and olive leaf extract may be used to fend off the flu.

But what can you do once you or a family member gets the flu? Now, a new study reconfirms elderberry's ability to reduce flu days.

In a new study and extract of Elderberry reduced symptoms and shortened the duration of flu type A and B in fifty four participants aged 18-54. The study, accepted for publication in the Journal of International Medical Research, was conducted in Oslo, Norway.

On average, flu patients given elderberry recovered in 3.1 days, compared to 7.1 days for those given a placebo. In a previous published study, 90% of flu patients taking Elderberry were completely free of symptoms in 2 to 3 days, as compared to 6 days with a placebo.

The action is explained as follows - flu viruses are covered by tiny protein spikes which they use to attach to and infect healthy human cells. Apparently the key active substances within black elderberry disarm these spikes and stop the first step of viral infection.

The study was conducted on the Sambucol elderberry product and it is pointed out that the elderberry extract works best if taken at the first sign of symptoms and that it has not been studied for it's preventive properties and is not a substitute for a flu vaccine.