Zinc Lozenges for Colds
Zinc lozenges as cure for the common cold – A review and hypothesis
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Most commercial zinc lozenges are ineffective
Of 40+ brands on the US market, very few are expected to have any effect due to inadequate ionic zinc content.
Practical Takeaways
Look for zinc acetate lozenges rather than zinc gluconate or other forms
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Most commercial zinc lozenges are ineffective
Of 40+ brands on the US market, very few are expected to have any effect due to inadequate ionic zinc content.
Practical Takeaways
Look for zinc acetate lozenges rather than zinc gluconate or other forms
Publication
Journal
Medical Hypotheses
Year
2009
Authors
G. Eby
Related Content
Claims (7)
Zinc lozenges with more ionic zinc seem to help shorten colds faster, based on studies with lots of people, but the total amount of zinc doesn't matter as much.
Different types of zinc lozenges release zinc in different amounts when they dissolve in your mouth, and this affects how well they work in studies.
When zinc lozenges have extra flavor ingredients like citric acid or glycine, they don't work as well for shortening colds because these ingredients stick to the zinc. Lozenges with multiple flavor additives showed no reduction in cold length, while those with just one reduced colds by over 3 days.
Zinc lozenges with certain chemical properties worked well in most tests, while others didn't work as often. This shows that how stable the zinc is might predict if it will work for you.
Most zinc lozenges sold in the US probably won't help shorten or reduce cold symptoms because they don't have enough of the right kind of zinc that your body can use.