Beating Your Cold

By David Morris


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%.

Some people are sure these lozenges help keep their colds from going on, but sceptics argue that evidence for their use 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.

There were 13 trials in the analysis:

Five of the trials used zinc lozenges that provided less than 75mg of zinc per day, and

Eight trials used a more powerful lozenge, which gave more than 75mg of zinc each day. Out of these eight, three of them used zinc acetate, while the other used it in different forms.

None of the studies using less than 75 mg per day had an effect on the duration of the common cold. However, in seven of the eight studies using more than 75 mg per day, cold durations were significantly shorter.

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.

If you feel a cold coming on, here are somethings you can do keep yourself healthy:

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




About the Author: