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.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (3)
Community contributions welcome
Zinc Acetate Lozenges May Improve the Recovery Rate of Common Cold Patients: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis
The study shows that zinc acetate lozenges help people get over colds faster, which supports the claim that they shorten colds by a few days.
Zinc acetate lozenges for treating the common cold: an individual patient data meta-analysis.
This study looked at the same zinc lozenges and found they shorten colds by about 2.7 to 3 days, which matches the claim exactly.
Zinc lozenges and the common cold: a meta-analysis comparing zinc acetate and zinc gluconate, and the role of zinc dosage
The study shows zinc acetate lozenges help shorten colds, which supports the claim, but it doesn't confirm the exact number of days mentioned.
Contradicting (2)
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Zinc acetate lozenges for the treatment of the common cold: a randomised controlled trial
This study tested the same zinc lozenges as the claim but found they didn't shorten colds at all—in fact, people taking zinc recovered slower than those taking fake pills after the treatment ended.
Effect of treatment with zinc gluconate or zinc acetate on experimental and natural colds.
The study tested zinc lozenges but found that zinc acetate didn't help colds at all, which directly goes against the claim that it reduces cold duration.
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.