Even if you take zinc lozenges very soon after cold symptoms start, if the lozenges aren't made well, they still might not help you feel better faster.

74

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

74

Community contributions welcome

74

Zinc acetate lozenges for the treatment of the common cold: a randomised controlled trial

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2020 Jan 23

The study tested zinc lozenges started early in a cold and found they didn't help people get better faster, showing that starting zinc quickly doesn't make up for lozenges that aren't well-designed.

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 acetate lozenges for the treatment of the common cold: a randomised controlled trial

Score: 74

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031662

Similar Assertions

Taking zinc lozenges soon after cold symptoms start can help adults get over their colds faster, cutting down how long you feel sick by about 1 to 4 days.

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Taking zinc lozenges when you first start feeling sick with a cold might help you get better faster and feel less miserable.

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Scientists still don't know exactly how zinc lozenges help shorten how long you feel sick with a cold.

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Taking high-dose zinc lozenges right when you start feeling a cold can shorten how long you're sick by almost half, according to studies in adults.

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Taking zinc lozenges (like a special candy) right when you start feeling a cold can help you feel better. Using about 80-100 mg per day works best, and taking more than that doesn't give extra benefit.

33

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