Cold-Fighting Tricks That Really Work – And Ones That Don’t
by Amanda Loudin
We’ve got a routine around here whenever someone starts to feel a cold coming on. We boil up a pot of water for our tea infused with Echinacea. We grab fistfuls of zinc lozenges, because, those are supposed to work, right? And if we have any on hand, we top it all off with a glassful of NUUN Immunity, a fizzy alka seltzer like tablet chockfull of things like turmeric, ginger, elderberry and yet more Echinacea.
I don’t know if any of this works, but we all feel like it does, so we soldier on with our approach, cold season after cold season.
We’re probably like most families when fall rolls around and the viruses start to proliferate: relying on a combination of old wives’ tales and traditions in order to fight off the germs. Many of us swear by these remedies, but which of them really holds water? Let’s break it down:
Relief vs. Cure:
It’s important to understand that when it comes to the common cold, there simply is no cure. That said, there is plenty that can provide relief of symptoms, and even a few natural products that can shorten the duration of your suffering.
Vitamin C
Perhaps the granddaddy of them all, generations of people have turned to oranges, orange juice, and vitamin C supplements in the winter months in hopes of keeping illness at bay. But does any of that do any good? Alex Weir, MD, a primary care physician with Steady MD, says the vitamin does fall among those that can shorten the duration of a cold.
The Mayo Clinic backs this up. There’s also some evidence that Vitamin C may provide benefit to those frequently exposed to viruses, like teachers or day-care workers. So if you feel a cold coming on, go ahead and tip that glass of O.J.
ZinC
What about one of my family’s favorite go-to supplements? A seminal 1984 study suggested it was beneficial in reducing the duration and severity of cold symptoms. Weir is a proponent but recommends taking it in lozenge form for the best results.
For those concerned about harmful effects from taking heavy doses of zinc, Weir says not to worry: a typical lozenge will contain about two milligrams of the supplement and it’s safe for an adult to ingest up to 40 mg/day. That said, Weir says not to take zinc on the daily in an effort to prevent colds, as over time it may add up to too much.
Echinacea
Another popular approach for preventing or shortening a cold, you can find this plant-based extract in teas and supplements. Weir says that the modality of Echinacea is irrelevant, but that there’s some evidence taking it may help shorten the duration of a cold by about a half day.
Herbs and spices
Grandmothers swear by garlic and oregano for a cold, and turmeric is a recent darling for treating and preventing everything under the sun. But can any of them really do anything to ease your suffering? Weir says there’s no science to back it up but that there’s no harm in taking any of the above either, if you believe it makes you feel better.
Sudafed, Nyquil and other OTCs
For some people, nothing provides relief more than the pharmaceutical route. Over-the-counter favorites like Vicks Vapor-Rub, Nyquil, and decongestants proliferate many a medicine cabinet shelf, but do they provide any real relief?
While the answer is yes, to a degree, they do nothing to “cure” or shorten a cold. Turn to them if they make you feel better or help you function through that project deadline, but know they also sometimes provide a dose of side effects. And when it comes to your young children, their efficacy definitely doesn’t outweigh their potential dangers, so steer clear.
Neti pots, humidifiers and warm baths
These fall firmly into the category of symptom relievers, says Weir, which means that they won’t impact the duration of your misery, but may help you get through the day. There’s no harm in throwing these into the mix—consider them “can’t hurt, might help” treatments.
At the end of the day, science still hasn’t broken through with a cure for the common cold. Expect to be sick between five to seven days. The best way to avoid a bug remains the tried-and-true hand washing, staying well hydrated, and getting enough rest. After that, how you approach the cold that will inevitably find you at some point is up to you.
Where does this leave my family and our next round of viruses? I’m a believer in the placebo effect, so when this season’s first stuffy nose hits, I’m still reaching for that teapot. Gaining even a half day back out of a given week sounds good to me.
Amanda Loudin is an award-winning journalist whose health-and-fitness work appears regularly in the Washington Post, NBC, Outside magazine and many other outlets. You can find her here.
