Taking certain zinc lozenges (not the acetate kind) in high daily doses might shorten how long you have a cold by about one-fifth, but different brands or types seem to work differently based on studies.

39

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

39

Community contributions welcome

39

Zinc Lozenges May Shorten the Duration of Colds: A Systematic Review

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

2011

The study found that zinc lozenges with over 75 mg/day of non-acetate zinc reduced colds by about 20%, just like the claim says, and it also showed that different types of zinc lozenges work differently.

Contradicting (0)

0

Community contributions welcome

No contradicting evidence found

Gold Standard Evidence Needed

According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.

Source Study

Zinc Lozenges May Shorten the Duration of Colds: A Systematic Review

Score: 39

DOI: 10.2174/1874306401105010051

Similar Assertions

Taking zinc lozenges with less than 75 mg per day doesn't seem to shorten how long a cold lasts, based on studies comparing them to fake pills. It might only work if you take enough.

39

0

93%

Taking small amounts of zinc lozenges doesn't really help shorten a cold, but taking larger amounts might actually make you feel better faster.

0

39

91%

Taking high-dose zinc lozenges can shorten how long you have a cold by about 3 days, especially for adults between 20 and 50 years old.

39

0

90%

Taking zinc lozenges with a certain ingredient can shorten how long you have a cold by almost half, according to studies on people with real colds.

39

0

90%

Taking high-dose zinc lozenges every day might help adults get over colds faster—cutting how long you're sick by more than a third compared to not taking them.

39

0

89%