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.

33

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

33

Community contributions welcome

33

The effectiveness of high dose zinc acetate lozenges on various common cold symptoms: a meta-analysis

Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis

Human

2015 Feb 25

The study looked at the same zinc lozenges and found exactly what the claim says: they reduce how long your nose runs when you have a cold, with no differences between studies.

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

The effectiveness of high dose zinc acetate lozenges on various common cold symptoms: a meta-analysis

Score: 33

DOI: 10.1186/s12875-015-0237-6

Similar Assertions

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

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Taking high-dose zinc lozenges early when you have a cold can cut your cough time almost in half, making it one of the best symptoms to treat.

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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 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.

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Taking high-dose zinc lozenges every day might help adults get over colds faster—cutting how long you're sick by more than a third compared to not taking them.

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83%