Whether or not you are on chemotherapy and trying to avoid infections, it is nice to know what might help to prevent or reduce the duration of the common cold. So, amongst all the hype, what works and what doesn't?  This may be hot topic for debate, but some recent published medical evidence may help you decide, and also tell you a bit more about the downsides.

First of all, despite TONS of information on the internet and common perception that Vitamin C is the best preventive, there is precious little medical evidence that proves this. Dr. Linus Pauling was a brilliant man ,and I personally had a chance to meet with him years back, but as far as Vitamin C preventing a cold, more hype than facts.

The latest rage is Zinc-based remedies to take, snort or inhale in pill, gel or mist form. From at least one well designed study in the medical literature, it appears that the length and severity of symptoms may be reduced, but beware. Animal studies also suggest that repeat use of these may hinder the sense of smell, possibly permanently.

Echinacea, a long-time herbal favorite, has recently gained more notoriety because of a July 2007 report in The Lancet Infectious Diseases which reviewed 14 different published studies. The conclusion was that echinacea does indeed reduce the length and severity of the common cold.

One additional popular remedy, marketed as Airborne and invented by a second grade school teacher, has no good evidence to support its use and does have potential for harm. One of the ingredients is Vitamin A, which can be dangerous at doses over 10,000 units a day. Airborne contains 5,000 units per tablet, so the recommended five pills a day or more could be a problem. Beware.

So there you have it, a summary of just a few of the popular products out there. Buyer beware, and remember to wash your hands.

View all Dr Steven Vasilev's articles

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About the Author:
Dr Vasilev is a board certified gynecologic oncologist.

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