Using a zinc gel in your nose daily can help you get over a cold faster and make symptoms like stuffy nose and sore throat less severe, especially if you start using it soon after you feel sick.

Taking high-dose zinc lozenges when you have a cold can shorten how long your nose runs by about a third, and studies show this works consistently for adults.

Zinc lozenges and nasal gel are safe to use for treating colds in adults. They might cause minor issues like stomach upset or nose irritation, but no major problems have been found in studies.

Zinc lozenges help with cold symptoms not just in your throat where the zinc is strongest, but also in your nose just as much.

Taking zinc lozenges for 5 days raises zinc levels in your blood, showing your body absorbs it, but it doesn't help with cold symptoms.

Taking zinc lozenges when you first feel a cold coming on doesn't really help you get better faster, according to a study on adults who get colds regularly.