Do zinc lozenges help reduce the severity and duration of the common cold?

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Zinc mineral information
Zinc lozenge supplement 
MultiVit Rx with zinc - daily doctor-formulated vitamin and mineral supplement

Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. Zinc stimulates the activity of approximately 100 enzymes, which are substances that promote biochemical reactions in your body. Zinc supports a healthy immune system, is needed for wound healing, helps maintain your sense of taste and smell, and is needed for DNA synthesis. Zinc also supports normal growth and development during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence. In people with type 2 diabetes, an inadequate blood level of zinc appears to increase the risk of heart attack and death from heart disease.

Zinc Lozenges, 23 mg

These zinc lozenges are especially formulated to contain the most active form of zinc. Zinc is a trace element that plays a significant role in the human body. It is involved in normal cell growth and repair and helps support the body's natural defense.

Zinc Lozenge Supplement


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Subscribe to a FREE Supplement Research Update newsletter. Twice a month we email a brief abstract of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including zinc lozenge supplement research, and their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.

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MultiVit Rx High Quality Daily Vitamins and Minerals with Zinc Supplement
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Vitamin A - Beta Carotene - Retinyl Palmitate
Vitamin C with Rose hips (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin D
Vitamin E (mixed tocopherols)
Vitamin B-1 (thiamine hcl)
Vitamin B-2 (riboflavin)
Niacinamide
Vitamin B-6
Folic acid
Vitamin B12
Biotin is a B vitamin
Pantothenic acid (d-calcium pantothenate)
Calcium (citrate)
Iodine (potassium iodine)
Magnesium (oxide)
Zinc (oxide) - 15 mg - 100%
Selenium (amino acid chelate)
Copper (amino acid chelate)
Manganese (carbonate)
Chromium (amino acid chelate)
Molybdenum -(amino acid chelate)
Potassium (carbonate)
Green Tea (leaves)
N-Aceytl-L-Cysteine
Inositol -
PABA -(para aminobenzoic acid)
Rutin is a bioflavonoid
Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex
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Betaine (HCI)
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Lutein (from marigold extract)
Astaxanthin is a carotenoid
Zeaxanthin is a useful nutrient for better vision
Octacosanol

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Zinc Lozenge and the Common Cold
Click common cold to find out additional details on what you can do to minimize symptoms of the common cold. A zinc lozenge is quite helpful in reducing the symptoms of a common cold.

The following is an hour-by-hour recommendation of how to go on the nutritional offensive with vitamin C and zinc lozenges and put a halt to your common cold virus before it settles in for a lengthy stay. This supplement plan has the best chance of being effective the earlier you start. So pay attention to your body (and it helps if you keep your home stocked with these crucial supplements year-round for the fastest response time) and start this cold attack plan at the first moment your suspect a cold is coming on. Often, the earliest symptoms include a scratchy throat, twitching in the nose, runny nose or congestion, or sneezing. But remember, cold symptoms usually develop about two or three days after you are exposed to the virus. If you suspect that you were exposed, start this plan immediately, before waiting for the full blown symptoms to emerge.
   Please discuss with your physician to make sure he or she approves of this plan before you start.

At the earliest onset of symptoms: (discuss with your health care provider first)
Take 3 to 5 grams of vitamin C followed by 500 mg every 3 hours.

Allow a zinc lozenge containing 10 to 20 mg of zinc in the form of zinc gluconate, zinc gluconate/glycine, or zinc acetate lozenge to dissolve in the back of your mouth. Keep the zinc lozenge in the mouth for at least 5 to 10 minutes or as long as you can. Swallowing the zinc lozenge early reduces its effectiveness. After the zinc lozenge has melted, wait a few minutes and place another zinc lozenge in your mouth. Repeat the zinc lozenge every hour for three or four hours and then reduce the frequency to every two to three hours while awake. If you wake up in the middle of the night, take the zinc lozenge again.
   The effectiveness of zinc is not due to a zinc deficiency in your body, but because the zinc lozenge is acting locally to prevent the common cold virus to attach to the cells in the upper respiratory system. Swallowing a zinc supplement orally will not do the same thing.

The second and third days
Take 1,000 mg of vitamin C three times a day and continue with a zinc lozenge every three to four hours.

Zinc deficiency - Food with Zinc
Zinc is an essential trace element found in liver, muscles, bones, teeth, hair, skin, and testes. Zinc is involved in the making of deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA ), ribonucleic acid (RNA ), and protein. furthermore, many enzymes need zinc for optimum function
   Zinc deficiency often results from low intake of foods high in zinc, such as seafood, bran, meat, eggs, and nuts, or from impaired absorption. A zinc supplement of 10 to 15 mg taken twice daily with food can make a significant difference. High doses of a zinc supplement can cause nausea and stomach upset.

Zinc in Food
Zinc is found in a wide variety of foods. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain seafood, whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products. Phytates, which are found in whole grain breads, cereals, legumes and other products, can decrease zinc absorption.

Zinc Supplement and Lozenge Research Update
Safety of zinc gluconate glycine (cold-eeze) in a geriatric population: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.
Am J Ther. 2005 Nov-Dec;12(6):612-7. Silk R, Lefante C. 1Silk Clinic, LLC, Philadelphia, PA; 2Synergy Research, Inc., Teaneck, NJ, USA.
Zinc gluconate glycine lozenges are an over-the-counter nutritional remedy that significantly reduced the duration and severity of common colds in adults in 2 independent clinical trials. To evaluate the safety of zinc gluconate glycine lozenges in elderly individuals with 1 or more health conditions, with or without a cold. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial enrolled men and women between 60 and 91 years of age, who self-administered 1 zinc gluconate glycine or placebo lozenge every 3 to 4 hours for 6 days. One or more of the following conditions was present in the study population: arthritis, cancer, depression, heart disease, hypertension, lung disease, osteoporosis, prostate disease, and stroke. Assessments were performed at baseline and at 7 (+/-1 day) and 14 days. The safety evaluation considered physical examinations, clinical laboratory tests, vital signs, adverse events, and concomitant medications. Of 75 persons enrolled, 66 completed the study. Safety assessments demonstrated no clinically significant differences between treatment groups. Four participants taking zinc tablets and 3 participants taking placebo tablets reported mild adverse events. Of those participants taking zinc tablets, 6 adverse events were possibly related to the study product and 2 adverse events were probably related to the study product. Of those participants taking placebo tablets, 3 adverse events were reported that were possibly related to the study product. No serious or clinically significant adverse events were noted. Zinc gluconate glycine lozenges are safe and well tolerated by a geriatric population and are suitable for prophylactic or therapeutic use to reduce the duration or severity of the common cold.

Efficacy of zinc against common cold viruses: an overview.
J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash DC). 2004 Sep-Oct;44(5):594-603. Hulisz D. Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
To review the laboratory and clinical evidence of the medicinal value of zinc lozenge for the treatment of the common cold. Published articles identified through Medline (1980-2003) using the search terms zinc, rhinovirus, and other pertinent subject headings. Human rhinoviruses, by attaching to the nasal epithelium via the intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) receptor, cause most colds. Ionic zinc, based on its electrical charge, also has an affinity for ICAM-1 receptor sites and may exert an antiviral effect by attaching to the ICAM-1 receptors in the rhinovirus structure and nasal epithelial cells. Clinical tests of zinc lozenge for treatment of common colds have been inconsistent, primarily because of study design, blinding, and zinc lozenge contents. Early formulations of zinc lozenges also were unpalatable. In three trials with similar study designs, methodologies, and efficacy assessments, zinc lozenge effectively and significantly shortened the duration of the common cold when it was administered within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. Recent reports of trials with zinc gluconate administered as a nasal gel have supported these findings; in addition, they have shown that treatment with zinc nasal gel is effective in reducing the duration and severity of common cold symptoms in patients with established illness. Conclusion: Clinical trial data support the value of zinc lozenge in reducing the duration and severity of symptoms of the common cold when administered within 24 hours of the onset of common cold symptoms.

An open-label, single-center, phase IV clinical study of the effectiveness of zinc gluconate glycine lozenges  in reducing the duration and symptoms of the common cold in school-aged subjects.
McElroy BH, Miller SP. The Heritage Center, Provo, Utah. Am J Ther. 2003 Sep-Oct;10(5):324-9.
Each year, more than 62 million cases of the common cold in the United States require medical attention and more than 80% affect school-aged children. The objective of this prospective, intent-to-treat, phase IV study was to determine the therapeutic and prophylactic effectiveness of zinc lozenges - gluconate glycine (Cold-Eeze) for the common cold. Zinc lozenges were administered once daily during the cold season for prophylaxis. For therapeutic purposes, zinc lozenges were given 4 times per day. The primary objective of the study was the treatment effect on cold duration, and the secondary objective was the effect on the number of common colds. A total of 178 children, ages 12 to 18 years, was enrolled, of which 134 met criteria for efficacy analysis. The average cold duration with therapeutic zinc lozenge use was 6.9 +/- 3 days, significantly shorter than the 9.0 +/- 3 days found in the control group. The mean number of colds was 1.28 with zinc lozenge prophylaxis versus 1.7 without prophylaxis, a 25% reduction. With zinc lozenge prophylaxis, 25% of the subjects did not experience a cold and two-thirds never had a cold or only had 1 cold. There was no antibiotic use for any cold, and there were no adverse events reported. Results of this study are consistent with those from our previous retrospective study showing significantly shorter cold duration and fewer colds with the use of zinc lozenges. The zinc gluconate glycine lozenges are well tolerated and are an easy-to-administer therapy that has the potential to substantially reduce cold-related school absences and antibiotic use and misuse as well as to provide a cost saving.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study published in the August 15, 2000 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers at the Department of Medicine, Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan, recruited 50 volunteers within 24 hours of developing symptoms of the common cold. Participants took one zinc lozenge containing 12.8 mg of zinc acetate or placebo every 2 to 3 hours while awake as long as they had cold symptoms. Subjective symptom scores for sore throat, nasal discharge, nasal congestion, sneezing, cough, scratchy throat, hoarseness, muscle ache, fever, and headache were recorded daily for 12 days. Compared with the placebo group, the zinc lozenge group had shorter mean overall duration of cold symptoms (4.5 vs. 8.1 days), cough (3.1 vs. 6.3 days), and nasal discharge (4.1 vs. 5.8 days) and decreased total severity scores for all symptoms.

Zinc gluconate and the common cold. Review of randomized controlled trials.
Can Fam Physician. 1998 May;44:1037-42.
To examine the evidence of seven randomized controlled trials (RCT) on the therapeutic effectiveness of zinc gluconate lozenges for treating the common cold. DATA SOURCES: Using the MeSH headings common cold and zinc gluconate, MEDLINE was searched from 1966 on for all published RCTs evaluating use of zinc gluconate for treating the common cold. For this study, only double-blind RCTs were included. Fair evidence suggests that zinc lozenges have a therapeutic effect in treating the common cold. Starting therapy with zinc lozenges within 24 to 48 hours of onset of cold symptoms reduces the duration and severity of the cold. Patients must suck lozenges every 2 hours while awake during the cold. Minimum effective dose appears to be 13.3 mg of elemental zinc per lozenge. Evidence suggests that compounds such as citric acid, sorbitol, and mannitol bind the free zinc ion in the mouth, and this could account for variations in therapeutic benefit. Bad taste and nausea are important side effects of zinc lozenges. Conclusion: Evidence supports use of zinc gluconate lozenges for reducing the symptoms and duration of the common cold, but the side effects, bad taste, and therapeutic protocol might limit patient compliance.

Zinc Research Update
Active people who get too little zinc in their diets may run out of juice sooner than they should. When 14 active young men followed a 9-week diet low in zinc, their cardiovascular fitness dipped in comparison to their performance during 9 weeks on a zinc -fortified diet. The reason appears to be related to an enzyme in the body called carbonic anhydrase, which relies on zinc for proper functioning. The carbonic anhydrase enzymes in red blood cells help the body expel carbon dioxide, with the demand rising substantially during exercise. When men in a study followed a low- zinc diet, these enzymes were less active. The result was that, during exercise, their bodies were less efficient at "getting rid of carbon dioxide,"

Zinc plays an important role in the normal function of rhodopsin, a protein in the eye implicated in retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary disease that often leads to blindness. Too little zinc in the body or a mutation in the binding site makes rhodopsin function abnormally, resulting in degeneration of the retina and eventually blindness.

Users of the nasal spray Zicam Cold Remedy have filed a proposed class action lawsuit, claiming the popular over-the-counter product robbed them of their sense of smell. A spokesman for Phoenix-based Matrixx Initiatives Inc., which distributes Zicam, said the lawsuit had been prompted by media reports on a flawed medical study and was without merit. The lawsuit also seeks unspecified damages from retailers such as Walgreen Co., Wal-Mart Stores Inc., Costco Wholesale Corp., Kroger Co., Rite Aid Corp., Safeway Inc. The lawsuit, filed in Arizona Superior Court last month and made public on Monday, claims Matrixx and Botanical Laboratories Inc. sold the homeopathic spray and gel without proper testing. Zinc nasal sprays have been touted by doctors and some researchers as a way to cut the length and severity of colds. But a University of Colorado study, presented in the American Journal of Rhinology's May-June issue, linked zinc sprays to loss of the sense of smell, or anosmia.

Various forms of Zinc
Zinc is not a vitamin, but a mineral. You will find zinc in various forms including zinc ascorbate, zinc gluconate, zinc sulfate (sometimes spelled zinc sulphate), zinc picolinate, zinc chloride, and zinc chelate.
Zinc oxide is used as skin sunscreen although I have been told by a knowledgeable individual working at a top notch vitamin manufacturing plant that it is absorbed internally quite well.
Zinc pyrithione is used to prevent microbial degradation of materials such as plastics and polymers, and in a wide range of finished articles made from these starting materials. Zinc pyrithione prevents the growth of bacteria, fungi, and algae that cause deterioration such as discoloration and staining.

Zinc side effects - Zinc danger
Too much zinc supplementation may not be a good thing for the urinary system of older adults. The finding comes from a secondary analysis of a trial involving 3,640 adults between age 55 and 80 years of age with the retinal disease, macular degeneration. As treatment for their eye condition, the subjects were assigned to various treatments: daily antioxidant therapy with vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene; zinc, 80 milligrams daily; antioxidants and zinc in combination; or inactive 'placebo' supplements. Dr. Aaron R. Johnson and colleagues from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, report that there was a "significant increase in hospital admissions due to genitourinary causes in patients on zinc vs. non-zinc formulations during the 6 years of the study. These increased admissions were largely due to an increased number of urinary tract infections and urinary stones. Journal of Urology, February 2007.

Zinc Emails
Q. Dear Dr. Sahelian, About four years ago I read your book The Common Cold Cure.  I tried using zinc lozenge, Vit.C. and Echinacea and found that they were really effective in stopping a cold if I used them at the first sign, and lessening the effects and shortening the duration of the cold if started a little later.  Then I started to think, "If zinc kills viruses, would it work on the virus that causes plantar warts?"  I had had plantar warts for 15 years and had gone to doctors repeatedly to have them frozen, burned, and finally I had laser surgery.  But one year after the surgery all the warts had returned.  Then I read your book and shortly thereafter started taking 50mgs zinc and 500 mgs Vit C.  daily, ground up in a bowl of oatmeal.  I did this for one year and by the end of the year every single wart was gone!  I have been wart free for 3 years now even though I only take zinc and Vit C. during the cold season and not every day.  Thank you for your book.  I hope my story can help someone else.

Q. Does zinc help acne?
   A. In rare cases of zinc deficiency, zinc may help improve acne, but I do not think overall, in the United States, that zinc deficiency and acne have a strong relationship.

Q. Is zinc related to hair loss?
   A. As with zinc and acne, zinc deficiency may lead to hair loss, but it would be uncommon to have a serious zinc deficiency when consuming a normal diet.

Q.  Regarding zinc supplements, is zinc oxide an effective, i.e. bioavailable form of zinc? I ask because I figure it is inorganic, and I know of things like "zinc oxide tape"; looking at things like that suggest to me that zinc oxide is probably not very useful to the body as a nutrient or source of nutrient. But perhaps I am not quite correct? So is it bioavailable, and how does zinc oxide supplement compare to say zinc aspartate (e.g. ZMA supplements for bodybuilders)?
   A. Zinc oxide is a white ointment used as sunscreen but apparently it can also be highly bioavailable taken orally.

Q. Can you give me a brief list of foods with zinc ?
   A. - Zinc in food is found in oysters, nuts, grains, beans, cereals, and whole-grain breads.

Links of interest
Ahcc used for immune system and cancer; serrapeptase enzyme; saw palmetto has phytoserols; tongkat ali is a sex herb.