Taking zinc supplements like gluconate or acetate doesn't help reduce how long a cold lasts or how bad the symptoms are, based on a study with 281 adults who had colds.

Taking zinc lozenges when you first start feeling sick with a cold might help you get better faster and feel less miserable.

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.

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.

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.

Zinc lozenges might help with colds, but it depends on how much zinc you take and what type of zinc it is. Taking more than 75 mg a day works, while less doesn't, and acetate zinc works better than other kinds.