Nasal Spray Helps Cold Symptoms
Povidone-iodine nasal spray (Nasodine®) for the common cold: a randomized, controlled, double-blind, Phase III clinical trial
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The spray was most effective for people with stronger initial symptoms or confirmed viruses.
It suggests that the worse you feel, the more benefit you might get—contrary to the idea that mild colds are easier to treat.
Practical Takeaways
If you start feeling cold symptoms, use a povidone-iodine nasal spray within 24 hours for the best chance at reducing severity.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
The spray was most effective for people with stronger initial symptoms or confirmed viruses.
It suggests that the worse you feel, the more benefit you might get—contrary to the idea that mild colds are easier to treat.
Practical Takeaways
If you start feeling cold symptoms, use a povidone-iodine nasal spray within 24 hours for the best chance at reducing severity.
Publication
Journal
Frontiers in Medicine
Year
2025
Authors
Thomas M. Polasek, Peter L. Friedland
Related Content
Claims (5)
This says that a nasal spray called Nasodine helps people with colds feel better in their daily lives. It claims that using Nasodine makes people 16% more comfortable compared to using a simple saltwater spray.
Nasodine is a medicine that's easy for adults to use. Some people get a little bit of nose discomfort that goes away quickly, but it doesn't cause any serious problems.
Using a povidone-iodine nose spray four times a day for 5 days might help reduce how bad a common cold feels by about 12.6% compared to a saltwater spray, but the results weren't quite strong enough to be sure.
If you take Nasodine medicine soon after you start feeling sick with a cold, it can make your symptoms much less severe. Getting treated early is really important for it to work well.
Using Nasodine spray doesn't really shorten how long a common cold lasts—it takes about 10 days to get better, just like using a simple saltwater spray.