According to a review published in 'The Open Respiratory Medicine Journal', there may not be a cure for the common cold, and by taking zinc lozenges you could be able to shorten its' length by up to 42%.
There are some people who feel that lozenges really do shorten the time they have a cold, but there are others for whom the evidence is lacking.
Scientists at the Department of Public Health at the University of Helsinki, Finland, took an in depth look at all the studies on zinc, to see whether there was in fact, any evidence to support the view they helped a cold clear up more quickly.
13 trials were examined
Five trials used zinc lozenges providing less than 75 mg of elemental zinc per day, and
Eight trails used stronger lozenges of more than 75mg of zinc per day. Of these eight, three used zinc acetate and the rest used it in other forms.
From the trials that used more than 75mg per day, seven out of the eight, seemed to show a significant reduction in the duration of a cold. This was in contract to the other trials using less than 75mg per day, where no change was seen.
When considering what effect the different forms of zinc had, it was found that acetate had the greatest effect, reducing the duration of a common cold by 42%, other forms of reduced it by 20%.
While it maybe effective, not everyone likes that taste of lozenges, and it some have reported nausea from them, but they are safe, with no reports of long-term side effects. A natural alternative to lozenges would be super foods, which contain zinc such as wheatgrass and maca power. While it may not be as much at 75mg, it will help towards your recommended daily amount.
The next time a cold comes your way, here are some tips you can try:
Your insides like moisture. Viruses like the ones that cause the common cold need dry environments. Dry air also takes a toll on the mucous membranes, worsening nasal congestion and a sore throat. Use a vaporizer or humidifier to make air moist, but make sure to clean it regularly and use fresh water each day. Also, drink adequate fluids to breathe easier and prevent dehydration.0
There are some people who feel that lozenges really do shorten the time they have a cold, but there are others for whom the evidence is lacking.
Scientists at the Department of Public Health at the University of Helsinki, Finland, took an in depth look at all the studies on zinc, to see whether there was in fact, any evidence to support the view they helped a cold clear up more quickly.
13 trials were examined
Five trials used zinc lozenges providing less than 75 mg of elemental zinc per day, and
Eight trails used stronger lozenges of more than 75mg of zinc per day. Of these eight, three used zinc acetate and the rest used it in other forms.
From the trials that used more than 75mg per day, seven out of the eight, seemed to show a significant reduction in the duration of a cold. This was in contract to the other trials using less than 75mg per day, where no change was seen.
When considering what effect the different forms of zinc had, it was found that acetate had the greatest effect, reducing the duration of a common cold by 42%, other forms of reduced it by 20%.
While it maybe effective, not everyone likes that taste of lozenges, and it some have reported nausea from them, but they are safe, with no reports of long-term side effects. A natural alternative to lozenges would be super foods, which contain zinc such as wheatgrass and maca power. While it may not be as much at 75mg, it will help towards your recommended daily amount.
The next time a cold comes your way, here are some tips you can try:
Your insides like moisture. Viruses like the ones that cause the common cold need dry environments. Dry air also takes a toll on the mucous membranes, worsening nasal congestion and a sore throat. Use a vaporizer or humidifier to make air moist, but make sure to clean it regularly and use fresh water each day. Also, drink adequate fluids to breathe easier and prevent dehydration.0
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Zinc can be found in super foods such as organic wheatgrass powder and maca powder
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