One study published in the Journal of Functional Food specifically looked at the influenza virus in vitro and found that elderberry extract 1 "showed mild inhibitory effect at the early stages of the influenza virus cycle, with considerably stronger effect in the post-infection phase.

Supplementation with elderberry was also found to substantially reduce upper respiratory symptoms 2 in a meta-analysis of research, which included total participants, published in Complementary Theories in Medicine. Romm recommends taking sambucas in tincture or syrup form—about 3 tablespoons a day for adults and 3 teaspoons per day for kids over 2 years old—at the earliest signs of symptoms.

That said, it may interact with some medications , according to a systematic review of elderberry and elderflower. So speak to your doctor before trying elderberry. Curcumin, the main compound in turmeric , has been used in integrative medicine as far back as the s.

In one study published in Antiviral Research , which specifically looked at Zika and chikungunya viruses in vitro, researchers found that the viruses "lost infectivity when incubated directly with curcumin 3 or derivatives of curcumin, suggesting that curcumin alters the ability of the virus to infect cells.

Curcumin has also demonstrated antiviral activity against several different types of viruses 4 , according to a review of current research published in Frontiers in Microbiology.

Ellen Vora, M. She also recommends combining it with black pepper, which can increase its absorption rate. Avoid taking curcumin if you're on any blood-thinning medications 6 , like anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs, according to researchers at Oregon State University.

This can slow blood clotting and lead to bleeding and bruising. Carvacrol is the primary active component in oregano oil, a potential natural antiviral that has been shown to break down viruses, reducing their ability to infect their host, according to the American Society for Microbiology.

Thymol, the other major component of oregano oil, may also possess antiviral qualities. Bindiya Gandhi, M. She recommends oregano oil capsules taken as directed over tinctures or drops since the oil can have a pungent flavor that can be off-putting.

However, she says if you do take it in liquid form, put a few drops directly on your tongue every day. If you're pregnant or have an iron deficiency, you should avoid taking oregano oil since it can negatively affect iron absorption.

Peppermint, or Mentha piperita , as it's officially known, is an herb that is said to have natural antiviral properties. In addition to menthol, which is found in the highest concentrations, it contains more than 40 compounds, like flavonoids, polyphenols, and tocopherols, that may play a role in keeping you healthy.

Peppermint oil , which is a concentrated form of the active compounds in peppermint, may be especially helpful. In one study that was published in Phytomedicine , researchers found that peppermint oil may reduce the viral activity of the herpes virus 8 , when exposed to it in a controlled lab setting.

Romm recommends sticking to peppermint oil soft gels, which are widely available as a supplement and properly diluted, and avoiding self-medicating with essential oils at home. Also, you shouldn't apply peppermint oil directly to your skin, as it can cause burns and rashes.

Romm also notes that pregnant women should also avoid peppermint oil. Romm calls garlic, whose official name is Allium sativum L. Its main compound, called allicin, is said to have several health benefits, including antimicrobial activity.

Although there's been more research on garlic's effect on bacteria, a review published in the Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine noted that studies have shown garlic extract may exhibit antiviral activity 9 against several different types of viruses, like influenza and rhinovirus.

But the scant garlic you cook with likely isn't enough to fight off viral infections. You need concentrated doses, Moday says, "at the first sign of an infection, start eating one raw garlic clove daily , or use concentrated allicin extract. Garlic may interact with blood-thinning medications and HIV medications, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health NCCIH , a part of the National Institutes of Health NIH.

If you're currently on medication, check in with your doctor to make sure garlic is safe. Next to elderberry, echinacea may be one of the most well-known natural antivirals. However, even though it's a popular choice for immunity, it's important to note that studies have found mixed results on whether it's effective.

In one in vitro study published in Virology Journal, echinacea extract interfered with viral entry into cells. The research noted that the extract may reduce the activity of several different types of viruses, too.

However, other studies haven't shown any positive effects. There are several different types of echinacea, but the most widely used, and most commonly studied, is Echinacea purpurea , which is available as a tincture, spray, tablet, or tea.

Since there has been limited human research, it's important to speak to your doctor before taking echinacea, especially if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Although the exact mechanisms of St.

John's wort's natural antiviral activity aren't clear, researchers believe that the components in St. John's wort may alter proteins in the viruses 10 , preventing them from fusing with cell membranes and causing infection, according to Herbal Medicine. Vora typically recommends taking milligrams of St.

John's wort twice a day for a month and then increasing to milligrams twice per day. However, since the supplement is potent, she advises working closely with a practitioner to make sure you're using it safely. It's especially important to check in with your doctor before taking St.

John's wort if you're on any type of medication. John's wort can interfere with anti-anxiety medication , antidepressants, pain medication, and birth control pills to name a few , according to the NCCIH. Ginger, formally known as Zingiber officinale Roscoe , has many active compounds, including phenols, terpenes, and organic acids.

However, the health benefits of ginger are largely connected to its phenolic compounds, specifically gingerols and shogaols. Research shows that olive leaf extracts effectively fight against a number of disease-causing microbes, including some viruses that cause influenza and other respiratory infections.

In fact, the olive leaf is so beneficial to our health that treatment with olive leaf extracts reversed many HIV-1 infection-associated changes in a study done at the New York University School of Medicine. Oregano is a powerful antiviral agent. Medicinal grade oregano is distilled to extract the essential oil and preserve its healing compounds; in fact, it takes over 1, pounds of wild oregano to produce just 1 pound of oregano oil!

Oregano oil benefits are proving to be superior to some antibiotics, without the harmful side effects. Sage is an essential ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurvedic medicine.

Traditional herbalists value sage for its ability to help fight infections and improve a number of ailments. Research illustrates that sage has antiviral, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Studies show that the diterpenes in sage help to fight viral infections. One of the best ways to use sage is by drinking sage tea.

It has soothing and healing properties, and can be made at home with fresh sage leaves or bought ready-to-serve at your local health food store. Related: Top 20 Anti-Inflammatory Herbs and How to Use Them. Teas are a great way to get the antiviral benefits of herbs every day.

Steep one tablespoon of herbs in hot water for 5—10 minutes. Herbal infusions are stronger than teas because they require a larger quantity of herbs. To make your own herbal infusion, steep a cup of antiviral herbs in water for about 7 hours.

Keep the infusion in an air-tight jar, and drink it cold or heated. An infused oil is when you heat the herb in a carrier oil for several hours. You can use the oven to heat the mixture, or try leaving it in a hot and sunny place for 12 hours.

If you heat the mixture in the oven, it should be in an oven-safe dish for 3 hours at degrees. If you decide not to use the oven, put the mixture in an air-tight jar and let it sit in a sunny place for about 12 hours.

Once the herbs are infused into the oil, drain the leaves and keep the oil in a jar. You can use the oil topically to alleviate pain and get rid of infections. Many of these herbs are sold as essential oils; make sure to purchase organic and pure essential oils from a reputable company.

To use essential oils benefits like their antiviral properties, diffuse 3—5 drops in your home, add 2—3 drops to warm bath water or mix 1—2 drops with a carrier oil and apply the mixture directly to the skin.

Massaging essential oils into your feet, abdomen and chest is useful when fighting a fever or flu symptoms. If you are new to this natural remedy, use my Essential Oils Guide to get you started. A great way to get herbs into your everyday diet is by adding them to a smoothie.

A great option is my Alkalizing Juice Recipe that has a knob of garlic; this is a great way to fight viral infections and boost your cardiovascular health.

Try making herbal teas at home. You can use licorice root in place of turmeric — just follow my Turmeric Tea Recipe and add a teaspoon of the herb of your choice. Try my Veggie Omelet that calls for garlic and oregano — two antiviral herbs that fight infections.

An easy way to add these herbs into your diet is to throw them in healthy soups! Choose from these 49 Healthy Soup Recipes ; you can add 2—5 drops of an essential oil, herbal infusion or oil infusion to any of these soups.

They boost the flavor and health benefits. If you use infusions or essential oils, remember that the products are extremely potent and should not be taken for a long period of time.

If you use these natural remedies for their antiviral properties, do not consume them for more than two weeks. Giving yourself a break between long doses is important. If you are pregnant, be cautious of using essential oils and reach out to your health care provider before doing so.

Some of these antiviral herbs interact with medications, so read up on an herb before you begin consuming its extract or essential oil. What Is a Virus? Popular Nutrition Posts All Time This Week {position} Detox Your Liver: A 6-Step Liver Cleanse.

More Nutrition Dr. Axe on Facebook 82 Dr. Axe on Twitter 4 Dr. Axe on Instagram Dr. Axe on Google Plus Dr. Axe on Youtube Dr. Axe on Pintrest 68 Share on Email Print Article Your heart plays a crucial role in your health.

Axe on Facebook 14 Dr. Axe on Twitter 22 Dr. Axe on Pintrest Share on Email Print Article Most couples, at some point in their relationships, will deal with issues Axe on Facebook Dr. Axe on Twitter 5 Dr. Axe on Facebook 22 Dr. Axe on Pintrest 0 Share on Email Print Article Derived from the amino acid tyrosine, tyramine is found in various protein View All.

Hopefully this may aid some people out there. Hi Ruth, thanks for letting us know, and that is incredible that you have only had a mild cough using cinnamon bark and licorice root! Very interesting article.

Thank you for the reminder of these wonderful things we can do to help ourselves. Good information. Thank you. Surprised that garlic has not been mentioned.

I regularly take garlic infused honey with clove and fennel as an immune system booster. Do you have any comments about garlic? Hello everyone, am testifying about how i was totally cured of Herpes virus by Dr ikenna few months ago. Most of the time while I was growing up it seemed pretty normHello al for me to leave with it during my childhood.

I have been from doctor to doctor, and a lot of numerous auto-immune disorders. Living and dealing with Herpes has been one of the major thing in my life everyone believes there is no cure to this disease.

So searching for the solution to my problem was one of my primary aim. Thank you, Dr. Team WellBe. Your email address will not be published.

Testimonials Media Podcast Membership Member Login — Database Member Login — Programs Free Membership Contact Instagram Facebook Youtube Twitter. What Kills Viruses Naturally? Natural Antivirals: How Can You Prevent and Kill Viruses Naturally?

Certain foods: As we discussed in our guide to immune-boosting foods , certain foods have natural antiviral properties, including onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Infrared sauna: These are saunas that use infrared lamps, which have light waves to warm your body from within rather than warming the air around you.

Some say that bringing the body to an increased temperature not only kills off viruses and pathogens, but also increases white blood cell production, thus boosting your immune system.

Similar to how your body creates a fever when it is naturally trying to kill off a virus! UV light: Research has shown that small amounts of human-safe UV light can kill airborne viruses. Colloidal silver: Colloidal silver, aka tiny particles of silver suspended in liquid, has long been touted as a natural virus killer when applied directly to the skin.

But still. Ozone is a naturally occurring energy-rich molecule embodying unique physio-chemical and biological properties. With viruses, ozone therapy damages the viral DNA and upsets the reproductive cycle by oxidizing our viral-invaded cells and eliminating them from our bodies, which are then replaced with healthy cells.

There have been some promising studies examining how ozone can inactivate viruses and stimulate the immune system to speed up healing. One study found that sweet basil the most common variety of basil exhibits potent effects against multiple kinds of viruses, while another found that basil supplements significantly increased levels of cells that help your body fight off viral infections.

It has a strong inhibitive effect against herpes and various respiratory viruses, and may also boost immune function and reduce inflammation.

Oregano: Yay! Another common, easy antiviral herb option. A test-tube study showed that oregano could reduce viral activity in just 15 minutes!! It inhibits virus replication by damaging DNA and RNA genetic material inside the viral protein, which prevents virus cells from entering human cells and replicating.

Peppermint: In one study , peppermint leaf extract both reduced inflammation and significantly reduced viral activity for a respiratory virus. Peppermint tea also contains compounds that have natural antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects.

The Best Defense Against Viruses: A Healthy Immune System At the end of the day, what kills viruses is your immune system. Bacteria are tiny microorganisms that live all over the planet, including inside our bodies.

Many bacteria are good and helpful, but some, called pathogenic bacteria, can cause bacterial infections. Viruses are even tinier microorganisms, and they can only live and multiply in living tissue.

They are parasitic, and use human cells to grow and sometimes even kill host cells! Antibiotics are effective at killing bacteria, but they do nothing against viruses and cause harm to your body when used unnecessarily. Regular soap and water and good hand-washing hygiene!! are all it takes. There are a number of natural antivirals that can help protect you against a viral infection.

These include certain foods, colloidal silver, infrared saunas, ozone therapy and UV light. Antiviral herbs and antiviral supplements are the most powerful and potent natural antivirals.

Ultimately, the best defense against a virus is a strong immune system! Citations: Zhang XF, et al. Silver Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, Applications, and Therapeutic Approaches.

Int J Mol Sci. Elvis AM, Ekta JS. Ozone therapy: A clinical review. J Nat Sci Biol Med. Chiang LC, et al. Antiviral activities of extracts and selected pure constituents of Ocimum basilicum. Clin Exp Pharmacol Physiol. Mondal S, et al. Double-blinded randomized controlled trial for immunomodulatory effects of Tulsi Ocimum sanctum Linn.

leaf extract on healthy volunteers. J Ethnopharmacol. Hawkins J, et al. Black elderberry Sambucus nigra supplementation effectively treats upper respiratory symptoms: A meta-analysis of randomized, controlled clinical trials.

Complement Ther Med. Share with Friends and Family. A test-tube study showed that fennel extract exhibited strong antiviral effects against herpes viruses and parainfluenza type-3 PI-3 , which causes respiratory infections in cattle According to animal research, fennel may also boost your immune system and decrease inflammation , which may likewise help combat viral infections Garlic is a popular natural remedy for a wide array of conditions, including viral infections.

In a study in 23 adults with warts caused by human papillomavirus HPV , applying garlic extract to affected areas twice daily eliminated the warts in all of them after 1—2 weeks 16 , Additionally, older test-tube studies note that garlic may have antiviral activity against influenza A and B, HIV, HSV-1, viral pneumonia, and rhinovirus, which causes the common cold.

However, current research is lacking Animal and test-tube studies indicate that garlic enhances immune system response by stimulating protective immune cells, which may safeguard against viral infections Lemon balm extract is a concentrated source of potent essential oils and plant compounds that have antiviral activity Test-tube research has shown that it has antiviral effects against avian influenza bird flu , herpes viruses, HIV-1, and enterovirus 71, which can cause severe infections in infants and children 8 , 20 , 21 , 22 , Peppermint is known to have powerful antiviral qualities and commonly added to teas, extracts, and tinctures meant to naturally treat viral infections.

Its leaves and essential oils contain active components, including menthol and rosmarinic acid, which have antiviral and anti-inflammatory activity In a test-tube study, peppermint-leaf extract exhibited potent antiviral activity against respiratory syncytial virus RSV and significantly decreased levels of inflammatory compounds Rosemary is frequently used in cooking but likewise has therapeutic applications due to its numerous plant compounds, including oleanolic acid Oleanolic acid has displayed antiviral activity against herpes viruses, HIV, influenza , and hepatitis in animal and test-tube studies Plus, rosemary extract has demonstrated antiviral effects against herpes viruses and hepatitis A, which affects the liver 28 , Echinacea is one of the most popularly used ingredients in herbal medicine due to its impressive health-promoting properties.

Many parts of the plant, including its flowers, leaves, and roots, are used for natural remedies. In fact, Echinacea purpurea , a variety that produces cone-shaped flowers , was used by Native Americans to treat a wide array of conditions, including viral infections Several test-tube studies suggest that certain varieties of echinacea , including E.

pallida , E. angustifolia , and E. purpurea , are particularly effective at fighting viral infections like herpes and influenza Notably, E. purpurea is thought to have immune-boosting effects as well, making it particularly useful for treating viral infections Sambucus is a family of plants also called elder.

Elderberries are made into a variety of products, such as elixirs and pills, that are used to naturally treat viral infections like the flu and common cold.

A study in mice determined that concentrated elderberry juice suppressed influenza virus replication and stimulated immune system response Licorice has been used in traditional Chinese medicine and other natural practices for centuries.

Glycyrrhizin, liquiritigenin, and glabridin are just some of the active substances in licorice that have powerful antiviral properties Test-tube studies demonstrate that licorice root extract is effective against HIV, RSV, herpes viruses, and severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus SARS-CoV , which causes a serious type of pneumonia 35 , 36 , Astragalus is a flowering herb popular in traditional Chinese medicine.

It boasts Astragalus polysaccharide APS , which has significant immune-enhancing and antiviral qualities Test-tube and animal studies show that astragalus combats herpes viruses, hepatitis C, and avian influenza H9 virus 39 , 40 , 41 , Plus, test-tube studies suggest that APS may protect human astrocyte cells, the most abundant type of cell in the central nervous system, from infection with herpes Ginger products, such as elixirs, teas, and lozenges, are popular natural remedies — and for good reason.

Ginger has been shown to have impressive antiviral activity thanks to its high concentration of potent plant compounds. Test-tube research demonstrates that ginger extract has antiviral effects against avian influenza, RSV, and feline calicivirus FCV , which is comparable to human norovirus 43 , 44 , Additionally, specific compounds in ginger, such as gingerols and zingerone, have been found to inhibit viral replication and prevent viruses from entering host cells Ginseng , which can be found in Korean and American varieties, is the root of plants in the Panax family.

Long used in traditional Chinese medicine, it has been shown to be particularly effective at fighting viruses. In animal and test-tube studies, Korean red ginseng extract has exhibited significant effects against RSV, herpes viruses, and hepatitis A 47 , 48 , Plus, compounds in ginseng called ginsenosides have antiviral effects against hepatitis B, norovirus, and coxsackieviruses, which are associated with several serious diseases — including an infection of the brain called meningoencephalitis Dandelions are widely regarded as weeds but have been studied for multiple medicinal properties, including potential antiviral effects.

Test-tube research indicates that dandelion may combat hepatitis B, HIV, and influenza 50 , 51 , Moreover, one test-tube study noted that dandelion extract inhibited the replication of dengue, a mosquito-borne virus that causes dengue fever. This disease, which can be fatal, triggers symptoms like high fever, vomiting, and muscle pain 53 , Common kitchen herbs , such as basil, sage, and oregano, as well as lesser-known herbs like astragalus and sambucus, have powerful antiviral effects against numerous viruses that cause infections in humans.

However, keep in mind that most research has been conducted in test tubes and animals using concentrated extracts. If you decide to supplement with extracts, tinctures, or other herbal products, consult your healthcare provider to ensure safe usage.

Many delicious ingredients are also exceptionally healthy. Here are 10 of the world's healthiest herbs and spices, supported by science.