Zinc, like many supplements, has had mixed results from trials and surveys with regard to colds and flu.
What isn’t in doubt, though, is that a zinc deficiency can compromise your immune system – so you’re more likely to catch colds & flu, plus any other viral infection that is doing the rounds.
Whilst studies, etc., are inconclusive, many people have found that zinc actually does help with a cold.
Generally speaking, if you start to take zinc – preferably in lozenge form – within 24 hours of you first noticing that you’ve caught a cold, and continue to take it until after the symptoms have gone, you’ll halve the life of your cold.
This means that your cold will only last for about 4 days, rather than the usual 7 – 8 days.
You will need to take a zinc lozenge every 2 to 4 hours for it to work, but avoid taking more than 150mg per day and don’t take it for more than 5 days at a time.
Researchers believe that zinc prevents the virus from replicating – particularly in your nose and sinuses – by preventing it from attaching to the lining of your respiratory passages.