Nature’s Way Umcka Cold Relief Drops, Umcka, Multi-Symptom Cold Relief, Sore Throat, Cough, Stuffy Nose, and Congestion, Homeopathic, Phenylephrine Free, Non-Drowsy, 2 Fl Oz (Packaging May Vary)

I started taking this stuff (in various forms) about 8 years ago. I have not had a cold since. My personal (again PERSONAL) experience has been that, if I take this every four hours at the first hint of a cold for about 24-48 hours total, it is nipped in the bud. It does that better than any other OTC or herbal cold remedy I've tried (meaning pretty much all of 'em). The other thing that is amazing about this stuff is how well it can soothe throat, bronchial, and even nasal irritations of any kind. No other product I know can do that, short of steroids. And safely, too. I have given it to kids, the elderly, my dogs, even pet rats- all with great success! Umcka comes in several forms, so a bit of a rundown: Liquid is best, but the lozenges are good in a pinch if you can find them. The cherry syrup is the yummiest, great for kids. The original drops (this) are my fave, very concentrated (the dose is 1 ml) & sugar free. I generally prefer the alcohol free, though, esp. for kids & animals. But these are fine & only have 13% alcohol. Both have a very mild, rather pleasant flavor. Nothing to pinch your nose over, I promise! Umcka also makes a cold AND FLU formula. It helps with symptoms, but, truthfully, I prefer the original. The reason being that, soothing airway irritation (as this does very well) CAN keep a rhinovirus (cold) or other upper respiratory infection from getting a foothold if you catch it early. Then its just a matter of rest and good nutrition to support your immune system. The flu is a much more complex (& more dangerous) illness. So, herbal treatments can't really do more than soothe the symptoms. So go with the original cold care. And get a flu shot!

The main ingredient in Umcka, pelargonium, is the only thing that has been shown to decrease the length of bronchitis infections. Not antibiotics, not cough drops. I am a doctor and I spend much of my time seeing colds and coughs. Take some Umcka (this is the best value version of their product) at the first "tingles" of a cold and save yourself lots of suffering. I do. Cheers! -=-=-=- Edit: 4 years later Reading this review above does make me want to clarify things somewhat. Umcka is an herbal remedy that more often than not does a great job treating most of the common viral illnesses that most of us deal with a couple times a year. Symptoms like: cough, nasal congestion, sore throat, body aches, runny nose, etc are, FOR THE MOST part, caused by viruses and antibiotics do not help with infections caused by viruses. There are a couple things which are caused by bacteria and are worth seeing your physician if you are experiencing these symptoms. 1. Strep throat: high fever, severe body aches and malaise and most frequently whitish (pus) discharge on your tonsils at the back of your throat. Is not accompanied by a cough in most situations. 2. Sinusitis: MOST of the time this is caused by viruses, but if you have having nasal congestion, pain in your sinuses, post-nasal drip, headaches AND symptoms last more than 7-10 days, then it is worth seeing your doctor, although treatment with antibiotics will only shorten the course by a couple days. Frequently, if you treat your sinusitis initially with Umcka, you'll take care of it before it can become secondarily infected with bacteria, so the above advice still applies. 3. Pneumonia: typical symptoms- cough, fever, shortness of breath, sometimes chest pain. Generally, ANY time you feel short of breath, you should see your doctor. Don't be taking Umcka for these symptoms- it would not help with pneumonia. These are broad rules and your situation may not apply to them, so ask your doctor if you have questions about Umcka. For what it's worth, Umcka has another product now, Umcka Intensive, which also has elderberry which seems to be good for viruses as well. I plan to to get that version in the future anyways.

I don't know of any scientific studies proving that this works for treating the common cold, but having used it for a number of years, I think it does. Of course, I can't be my own control.

Like it and use it a lot. This and several other natural remedies (eucalyptus leaves for breathing, chinese herbal mix "Heat Mix", a special russian herbal mix and a throat spray that I originally found in France and now buy in US) will work wonders on most upper respiratory infections and/or if sinuses or lungs are your weak spot (get too many sicknesses yearly, allergies, sore throat etc.) . Umcka and it's natural ingredient pelargonium is one of the few on my list that work. No over the counter or prescription drugs could come anywhere close to the list that I've described, nor they usually work at all - that took me 10 years to develop. Save yourself money and aggravation of wasted doctor visits. Get this, drink plenty of water, and you'll be better of.

The Umcka Original drops were recommended to my Mom by her homeopathic practitioner for her asthma and overall lung health.. She said that this is used in many places in Europe to strengthen and protect the lungs.. I have mild seasonal asthma and this year has been particularly rough on allergies.. I started using this over a month ago and feel like it has been making a difference _ I can tell it's working within a few minutes.. I noticed recently that Nature's Way has changed the packaging (to blue) on this and sadly they have added Maltodextrin to the ingredients - the newer formula does not have the same results when I've tried it but i have not used it very long since i still have the 'original' formula - just very disappointing that they would change formulas on something that works so well! And Why???

Fantastic product. Take at the first sign of sickness. Taste is easy to palate (it’s herbal but not awful). I cannot take most of the available cough/cold meds, they make me loopy. Umcka doesn’t give me any side effects, and I really feel that it works

I think this product really works. I was introduced to it by Shannon from the RHOC. Last year, I was feeling under the weather and I felt like the Airborne alone just wasn't doing it. I was interested in homeopathic medicine and purchased this with high hopes. With the combination of this product + Airborne, I beat the sickness before it fully kicked in. Whenever I feel like there's a cold coming, I immediately take the indicated drops of this. The taste is a bit strong (alcohol-like) but it works and that's what matters to me (might try the non-alcoholic version next time). I docked a star because of the packaging. My bottle leaked and wasted most of the product before I was even halfway (I think there might be an issue with the dropper). Don't screw on the dropper too tight or it might happen to you!

I have been using Umcka Original Drops (contains 13% alcohol) for several years. They have been almost impossible to locate in the last 2 months. On my last order, I received a package which had been opened or the glue had let loose on the bottom and the box had been resealed. The "imprinted shrink band" was undisturbed, so I unwrapped and took my first dose. The taste and color were a little off, and I did not get the "burn" of the alcohol as distinctly as I thought I should get. However, I took a couple more applications and then noticed that there was a deposit and staining on the dropper surface. Turning the bottle upside down, I noticed that there were many pieces of something dropping to the bottle neck. This morning, I called Nature's Way and asked about counterfeit products. Maria asked me for my batch number, which is 20082221, Exp. 04/30/20. She could immediately tell me that this was a batch which had some "separation problems" but that the product was safe to consume and still effective. Furthermore, she said that the product was being "reformulated" and should be back on the shelves in September, 2018. SO, if you are concerned as I was about this batch, go ahead and use it to prevent your colds and flu!