Some people get a bad taste from zinc lozenges when using them for a short time to treat colds, but there's no proof they cause any lasting harm.

Taking zinc acetate lozenges for colds, at doses up to about 90 mg per day, didn't cause any major side effects in studies with nearly 200 people.

People who took zinc lozenges were much more likely to have a bad taste in their mouth than those who took fake ones, but over a third of zinc users didn't have any taste problems at all.

In studies where people tried zinc gluconate lozenges, most just noticed a bad taste or some mouth irritation, but nothing serious happened.

Taking certain zinc lozenges (not the acetate kind) in high daily doses might shorten how long you have a cold by about one-fifth, but different brands or types seem to work differently based on studies.

Taking small amounts of zinc lozenges doesn't really help shorten a cold, but taking larger amounts might actually make you feel better faster.