Take zinc to zap your cold

February 16, 2011

I’ve been cold-free all season thus far (knock on wood) but I’m picking up some zinc next time I’m at the drugstore. Why?

While echinacea’s been shown to be of little use, zinc may help get rid of sniffles and stuffed up nose. It’s by no means a cure for the common cold, but taking zinc lozenges, syrup or tablets starting within a day of when you’re starting feeling under the weather will cut down the severity of your symptoms and shorten your cold duration, according to a review published in the Cochrane Library.

Filed under: Healthy Swellness

Tags: cough, cure for the common cold, echinacea, sneezing, sniffles, zinc