The common cold is an infection caused by many different viruses. A recent analysis of randomized, placebo-controlled trials published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology showed that zinc acetate lozenges may reduce the duration of the common cold by nearly three days.
The effect of zinc lozenges was not changed by allergy status, smoking, symptom severity, age, sex or ethnic group. High-dose lozenges shortened the duration of symptoms of nasal discharge by 34 percent,…