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

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

33

Community contributions welcome

33

Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

2017 May

This study shows that zinc lozenges help shorten colds when taken early, and using more than 100 mg a day doesn't give extra benefit, which matches the claim perfectly.

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 and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage

Score: 33

DOI: 10.1177/2054270417694291

Similar Assertions

Zinc lozenges might help with colds, but it depends on how much zinc you take and what type of zinc it is. Taking more than 75 mg a day works, while less doesn't, and acetate zinc works better than other kinds.

39

0

93%

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%

Zinc lozenges need more than 75 mg of zinc per day to help fight colds. If you take less zinc or use lozenges with certain ingredients like citric acid, they might not work as well.

0

67

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

89%