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.

49

Pro

0

Against

Evidence from Studies

Supporting (1)

49

Community contributions welcome

49

Effect of treatment with zinc gluconate or zinc acetate on experimental and natural colds.

Randomized Controlled Trial

Human

2000 Nov

The study looked at the same zinc types and people as the claim and found they didn't help cold symptoms at all, so it supports the claim.

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

Effect of treatment with zinc gluconate or zinc acetate on experimental and natural colds.

Score: 49

DOI: 10.1086/317437

Similar Assertions

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

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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.

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