EpiCor® Reduces Cold, Flu Symptoms

ANN ARBOR, Mich.EpiCcor® was found to be safe and efficacious in an at-risk population as a potential method to reduce the incidence of cold and flu-like symptoms in individuals with and without a history of influenza vaccination, according to a study published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine  (2010;16(2):213-218). A concurrent 12-week, randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 116 subjects with no recent history of seasonal influenza vaccination received 500 mg/d of a dried modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae oral fermentate (as EpiCor, from Embria Health Sciences) or placebo.

Subjects receiving the intervention experienced a statistically significant reduction in the incidence (P=0.01), a non-significant reduction in duration (P=0.10), and no impact on the severity (P=0.90) of colds or flu-like symptoms, but a more favorable safety profile compared with subjects receiving placebo.

The physical and economic impacts of the common cold and seasonal influenza can be immense, so any additional method that has the potential to reduce the occurrence of associated symptoms for nonvaccinated individuals should definitely be considered and further researched, said Larry Robinson, Ph.D., study co-author and vice president of scientific affairs for Embria Health Sciences.