Open AccessZinc Lozenges Reduce the Duration of Common Cold Symptoms
Author(s) -
George Wolf,
D Phil
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
nutrition reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.958
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1753-4887
pISSN - 0029-6643
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-4887.1997.tb01601.x
Subject(s) - lozenge , placebo , common cold , medicine , zinc , randomized controlled trial , double blind , anesthesia , surgery , chemistry , pathology , alternative medicine , archaeology , organic chemistry , immunology , history
A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial has shown that treatment of the common cold with zinc gluconate lozenges resulted in a significant reduction in duration of symptoms of the cold. Patients received zinc‐containing lozenges or placebo lozenges every 2 hours for the duration of cold symptoms. The median time to complete resolution of cold symptoms was 4.4 days in the zinc group compared with 7.6 days in the placebo group. The mechanism of action of zinc in treating the common cold remains unknown.