DO ZINC LOZENGES CURE THE COMMON COLD?
No, but zinc lozenges have been shown to reduce the duration of a cold. Many of us are searching for a cure for the common cold. The common cold is one of the most frequently occurring human illnesses in the world. Each year, adults develop an average of two to four colds and children have an average of six to eight colds. The physical illness and discomfort resulting from the cold and the economic losses in terms of working hours are great. Cold viruses, which number more than 200, grow mostly in the nose and mouth. Research has shown that the growth of the rhinovirus, which causes about one third of all colds, can be slowed by zinc. Some studies found that people who took zinc gluconate lozenges every few hours after their first cold symptoms were sick one to three fewer days than people who took a placebo, a similar lozenge without zinc. Other studies did not show any differences between the two groups. Researchers have not been able to determine how zinc reduces the symptoms of a c
