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Is echinacea safe while breastfeeding?

Written by the Full Measure editorial team, which sells supplements. Approved for publication by the Full Measure owners. Updated .

Drafted with AI assistance from the sources listed below. How we write these

Quick answer

LactMed says some of echinacea's alkamides appeared in the milk of one mother, that no data exist on its safety for nursing mothers or infants, and that some sources call recommended doses safe while others advise avoiding it. NCCIH also says little is known. Ask your doctor before using echinacea while breastfeeding.1,2

Key facts

  • LactMed reports that some of echinacea's purportedly active alkamides were found in the breast milk of one mother.1
  • LactMed says no data exist on the safety and efficacy of echinacea in nursing mothers or infants.1
  • LactMed says some sources indicate echinacea is safe in recommended doses, while others advise avoiding it while breastfeeding because published safety data are lacking.1
  • NCCIH says little is known about whether it is safe to use echinacea while breastfeeding.2
  • The European monograph says that, without sufficient data, use in pregnancy and lactation is not recommended unless advised by a doctor.3

What does LactMed say about echinacea in breast milk?

LactMed, the National Institutes of Health database on medicines and supplements during breastfeeding, gives echinacea an entry. It explains that echinacea species contain polysaccharides and lower molecular weight compounds, including alkylamides and caffeic acid derivatives, and that no single chemical is known to be responsible for its activity.1

Some of echinacea's alkamides were found in the milk of one nursing mother, and there are no data on its safety for nursing mothers or their infants.4

LactMed adds that echinacea is generally well tolerated in the people who take it, with digestive upset, diarrhea, constipation and skin rash reported and allergic reactions rare, and that it may alter the metabolism of some drugs handled by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system. It does not itself recommend either way.1

What do NCCIH, European regulators and reviews add?

NCCIH says little is known about whether echinacea is safe while breastfeeding. The European Medicines Agency's monograph for pressed juice says that in the absence of sufficient data, use in pregnancy and lactation is not recommended unless advised by a doctor. A separate traditional-use section for echinacea ointments says products containing echinacea should not be applied to the breast of breastfeeding women.2,3

A 2005 systematic review judged that echinacea use during pregnancy and lactation would appear ill-advised given the scarcity of data. Nothing we found measured the effect on a breastfed infant.5

Does the form matter: tea, lemon blends or extracts?

It may, because the plant parts, species and preparation vary. The sources we read did not test tea, blends with lemon or other herbs, or lozenges in nursing mothers, so what they say about echinacea does not cover those products.1

There is no agreed marker for echinacea: some products are standardized to echinacoside and others to cichoric acid, and no single compound is known to be responsible for its activity.4

Who should ask their doctor first while breastfeeding?

  • A nursing parent thinking of using echinacea should ask their doctor, because LactMed says no safety data exist for nursing mothers or infants.1
  • A nursing parent with an allergy to plants in the daisy family should ask their doctor, because echinacea belongs to that family and allergic reactions, though rare, can be severe.2
  • A nursing parent who takes a prescription medicine should ask their pharmacist, because LactMed says echinacea may alter the metabolism of some drugs handled by liver enzymes.1
  • A nursing parent whose baby is premature, or has a health condition, should ask the baby's doctor first.

Questions people ask

Is echinacea safe while breastfeeding?

LactMed says no data exist on its safety for nursing mothers or infants, and that some sources call it safe at recommended doses while others advise avoiding it. Ask your doctor.1

Is echinacea tea safe while breastfeeding?

No source we read tested tea in nursing mothers. LactMed's statement applies to echinacea in general, and NCCIH says little is known. Ask your doctor.1,2

Is echinacea ok while breastfeeding if it is lemon echinacea tea?

The sources do not cover blends with lemon or other herbs, so they cannot tell you about the mix. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about the whole ingredient list.1

Does echinacea pass into breast milk?

LactMed reports that some of echinacea's alkamides were found in the milk of one mother. That is a single observation, not a measure of how much reaches a baby.1

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Sources

  1. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Echinacea. Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006 onward. Entry revised October 15, 2024. Opened 2026-10-11.
  2. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Echinacea. Bethesda (MD): National Institutes of Health. Last updated November 2024. Opened 2026-10-07.
  3. European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products. European Union herbal monograph on Echinacea purpurea (L.) Moench, herba recens. EMA/HMPC/48704/2014 Corr. 1. 24 November 2015. Opened 2026-10-07.
  4. Echinacea. In: Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed). Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; 2006 onward. Updated October 15, 2024. Summary read through PubMed. Opened 2026-10-07.
  5. Huntley AL, Thompson Coon J, Ernst E. The safety of herbal medicinal products derived from Echinacea species: a systematic review. Drug Saf. 2005;28(5):387-400. Opened 2026-10-11.

This page is information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.