NutriStack
Echinacea and Vitamin C, a synergy.
Echinacea and vitamin C are commonly combined for upper respiratory immune support, with modest evidence for reducing cold duration or severity when used together.
One pair, every claim cited. The two substances, the type, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
Same shape as the other 1,729 pairs in the public database.
From the interaction database
What the row says.
Every entry follows the same shape: what is happening, the mechanism, the recommendation, and the primary literature.
At a glance
- Pair type
- Synergy
- Evidence (highest tier)
- Emerging
- Source citations
- 2 sources
- Stack Score effect
- +2 to your Stack Score (per scored synergy row).
- Scope
- Supplement × Supplement
- Last verified
- May 30, 2026
Synergy · Emerging evidence
Synergy
What is happening. Echinacea and vitamin C are commonly combined for upper respiratory immune support, with modest evidence for reducing cold duration or severity when used together.
Mechanism. Echinacea modulates innate immune activity including macrophage and cytokine responses, while vitamin C supports neutrophil function and antioxidant defenses, providing complementary immune support.
Recommendation. Safe and common to combine at the onset of cold symptoms. No timing separation needed.
Sources (2)
- Karsch-Volk M et al., Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014
- Hemila H, Chalker E, Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013
Stack Score
How this pair moves the number.
Effect on the composite score
If both Echinacea and Vitamin C are in the same stack, this pair applies +2 to your Stack Score (per scored synergy row).
The full algorithm, the clamping rules, and four worked stacks are documented at /methodology/stack-score.
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