Zinc for Colds?

“A family is a unit composed not only of children but of men, women, an occasional animal, and the common cold”-Ogden Nash

According to the Archives of Otolaryngology (try saying that 3 times fast) a recent clinical trial has found that zinc nasal gels and sprays were ineffective in preventing or reducing the duration of the common cold. Moreover zinc applied to the nasal cavity can lead to a loss of smell, possibly permanent.

An earlier study that showed that zinc therapies reduce the severity of a cold was funded by the makers of the medicine used in the study. So perhaps there was a bit of bias?

It's important to know that homeopathic products that treat less serious illness, such as the common cold, can be sold over the counter and are exempt from "the rigorous premarket approval process" of the FDA.

Bottom Line

Be very careful of any "herbal medicine" or homeopathic drug sold over the counter. See my blog from last year about Dangerous Diet Pills.