Black Elderberry Extract to reduce flu symptoms

[itsybitsy]

http://www.thehealthierlife.co.uk/natur ... 00623.html

[hobo]

My two littlies are on this stuff. Wish we could afford to all take it! Cheapest I've found is 3 for 2 deal at Boots - works out at £6 a bottle. Also giving them extra vit c and zinc.

Hobo

[diamond lil]

Is tha Sambucol ? Its meant to be good stuff but bloody expensive. There must be a home made equivalent, we need to learn what it is. Maybe just elderberry wine would do ?

[hobo]

Fu,

Yes, Sambucol.

Hobo

[diamond lil]

I got it once, last year. Loved the taste, thought it tasted like sloe gin Wonder if you could make an elderberry extract...

[lisaloolibell]

I went to Boots yesterday and bought 3 bottles of sambucol. When I got home I went online to clarify whether or not this is to be taken to prevent flu or when symptoms appear and I came across something called cytokine storm.

The manufacturers put out a statement about this in 2009

http://www.sambucolusa.com/important-me ... ne-flu.htm

if you scroll down the page here on flutrackers you will see more info regarding the use of sambucol for young people. Apparently you have to be careful giving this to teenagers who contract swine flu.

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showth ... p?t=116563

As with everything on the web its difficult to get the facts especially as this is classed as a food product. If anyone know anything more about this i'd be interested as Im still not sure whether to use it or not.

[itsybitsy]

I don't think it's something that you just take on a daily basis like a vitamin tablet, as far as I'm aware it is to be used once flu symptoms have presented.

I thought that black elderberry WAS a natural extract? Or am I missing something?

[lisaloolibell]

it is a natural extract itsy and it apparently ups your production of cytokines but so does swine flu which is where the body turns on itself so theres some debate at to whether your going to make the situation worse by producing more cytokines after taking sambucol. Its all a bit vague to be honest but with having two teenagers I want to be sure if theres any associated risk or not what with Swine flu being the predominant strain this year.

[lisaloolibell]

Ive been doing a bit more research on this and have found that curcumin with piperine (turmeric with pepper) is good at surpressing the cytokine storm associated with swine flu and bird flu.

you can get it here http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/quest-tu ... 58461.html

I have also read that Anti-histamines such as benadryl are supposed to help too. Apparently its not the actual flu that kills you but your own immune system over-reacting.

[diamond lil]

The fear is that by taking Sambucol, you will stimulate the immune system - and in some individuals a strong immune system actually goes haywire and thats what kills you, not the flu. I haven't heard any reports about it happening with H1N1 though. And TBH maybe fit teenagers arent the ones who need to take this.