Zinc Supplements Tested – Just In Time For Cold Season

December 11, 2008 by GiGi

Welcome back!

Consumer Lab has just done a testing of zinc supplements. Zinc can be good for all kinds of things, such as vision, brain function, healing and even sperm production, but for the purposes of this post, we’ll be talking specifically about zinc in the form of lozenges or nasal gels for colds.

There is some debate on whether zinc lozenges work on shortening the duration of a cold. I’ve attached a section from their report below that addresses that fact.

I, for one, fully believe in the placebo effect. Hey, if it works or even if you only THINK it works, who cares? As long as you feel relief, then it’s working for you.

I’m a big fan of Zicam RapidMelts, but unfortunately, it wasn’t part of the Consumer Lab testing. Cold Eaze was, and passed the test – meaning, it had no contaminants and it had the correct amount of Zinc Gluconicum to be effective.

The key to taking the Zinc Lozenges is to take them at the first sign of a cold (which really means you should already have them in the house) and to take them every 2-3 hours as directed. However, if you take them for too long (like a week), then you’ll not only lose the benefit but may be doing more harm than good.

I researched a little to see if one worked better than the other, but I found people generally liked either one. So I put links to a $1 off coupon on each you can print out and take to the store with you.

Here’s the section about them from Consumer Labs:

To shorten a cold (lozenges and gels):
Most but not all studies suggest that when zinc is taken in the form of a lozenge or nasal gel (as opposed to an oral supplement), it can directly kill cold viruses and thereby shorten the duration of a cold. Only zinc gluconate and zinc acetate have been shown to be effective for this purpose, although other forms of zinc are available on the market in lozenges. It is thought that certain flavorings that may be added to lozenges, such as citric acid and tartaric acid, can interfere with zinc’s antiviral action. The flavorings (sweeteners) dextrose, sucrose, sorbitol and mannitol are thought not to interfere. Products are available in which zinc is mixed with a great variety of other substances, such as herbs or vitamin C, but these have not been tested for their combined efficacy. Zinc sulfate syrup may help prevent colds in children, as well as reduce the duration and symptoms in kids who catch a cold.

A typical dose of the lozenge form of zinc is 13.3 to 23 mg of zinc given every 2 hours during the day while symptoms persist. It is important not to take this much zinc for more than a week or so, as the amount greatly exceeds the tolerable intake levels discussed below. It is possible that concern over excess zinc is the reason why several products on the market provide only 5 mg per lozenge and suggest a dose of only one or two lozenges per day. However, zinc lozenges are not likely to help a cold if taken this way, so you may need to use these more frequently. Some people get an upset stomach from the lozenges.

Zicam $1 off instant coupon

ColdEaze $1 off instant coupon