title: A combination of high-dose vitamin C plus zinc for the common cold.
abstract: Vitamin C and zinc play important roles in nutrition, immune defence and maintenance of health. Intake of both is often inadequate, even in affluent populations. The common cold continues to place a great burden on society in terms of suffering and economic loss. After an overview of the literature on the effects of the separate administration of either vitamin C or zinc against the common cold, this article presents data from two preliminary, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials, conducted with a combination of 1000 mg vitamin C plus 10 mg zinc in patients with the common cold. In both studies, a nonsignificant reduction of rhinorrhoea duration (range 9-27%) was seen. In pooled analyses of both studies (n=94), vitamin C plus zinc was significantly more efficient than placebo at reducing rhinorrhoea over 5 days of treatment. Furthermore, symptom relief was quicker and the product was well tolerated. In view of the burden associated with the common cold, supplementation with vitamin C plus zinc may represent an efficacious measure, with a good safety profile, against this infectious viral disease.
authors.affiliation: Bayer Consumer Care Ltd, Peter-Merian-Strasse 84, Postbox 4002, Basel, Switzerland. silvia.maggini@bayer.com
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maggini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beveridge
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suter
mesh_terms: D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003139:Common Cold / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D015032:Zinc / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc; D001205:Ascorbic Acid