Grapefruit Seed Extract question

[Grace&Violets]

I started feeling like I was starting to get sick, a few days ago. When I got home, I made an Emergen-C and added 5 drops of grapefruit seed extract (which is the only way I can take the grapefruit seed extract---yuck!). I felt better very quickly, by the next day, I was fine. Well, the sickness is still trying to pull me in, but I'm not going to let it!!

 

My question is, how much grapefruit seed extract is most beneficial? I want to take enough to make a difference, but not so much it makes me sick.

 

Thanks!!

 

Oh, and how do you take it? I need something else to cover (at least slightly) the taste.

[Josephine]

The only thing I used GfSE for was my kids diaper rashes, and my youngest has twice gotten what IMO was a yeast rash in the crook of her elbow. I've read that those that take GfSE use orange juice to mask the taste. I don't know how much to take per day internally though.

[LindaLou]

Have any of you heard about it being able to be used for purifying water? I have been reading a lot about it and the claims go from boosting the immune system to being antibactirial.

[nini2033a]

When I have taken it, I put 10 drops in an empty gelatin capsule and just swallow it like a pill so I dont have to taste it.

[Grace&Violets]

When I have taken it, I put 10 drops in an empty gelatin capsule and just swallow it like a pill so I dont have to taste it.

 

nini - Oh, I like this idea! The taste is the hard part for me.

 

LindaLou - I have heard something about using it to purify water, but I can't remember the details. One of the reasons I started using it was because of a story I read about a missionary couple that didn't want to take malaria medicine. They had researched it and didn't like something about it. Anyway, in their research, they learned about grapefruit seed extract and decided it was a good alternative to the malaria meds. In the years that they were missionaries (in some country with lots of malaria cases), they never were infected and remained healthy the whole time.

 

I heard that it was antiviral, but that could be wrong. I do know that it works. After further research, I found that a good dose is between 5-15 drops, 2-3x per day. For children (ages 5+), it is closer to 1-3 drops, 1-2x per day. Even though the dosing I found was for ages 5+, I gave it to my almost 4 year old...as a last resort.

 

My youngest DS (almost 4 years old) has viral-induced asthma and was starting to get sick with some breathing problems. We were able to knock out the sickness by giving him his Flovent, 2 nebulizer treatments and Emergen-C multivitamin for kids with 2-3 drops of GfSE. Within 3 days, he was fine. Every other time this has happened, he's ended up in the hospital for an overnight stay. The ONLY difference this time was the Emergen-C with the GfSE. (He didn't like the taste either, so my mom had a great idea of adding in a 1/2 tsp. of honey. He loved it.)

 

I really think this should be part of everyone's medicine cabinet.

[edensong]

Make sure the brand you're using doesn't contain toxic chemicals, including benzothonium chloride and parabens. Check with the company to find out.