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

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 looked at zinc lozenges and found that those with zinc acetate and at least 75 mg per day really do shorten colds by 42%, just like the claim says.

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 a certain amount of zinc each day can help shorten how long a cold lasts in adults by about one-third, based on a big review of studies.

33

0

94%

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

93%

Taking zinc acetate lozenges when you have a cold can help you get better faster, cutting down how long you're sick by about 2 to 3 days.

67

74

92%

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

91%

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.

33

0

91%