(PRINTWORDS NEWS) Consuming zinc supplements within a day of the onset of common cold could play a very important role in reducing the duration of the illness as well as decreasing its severity, a recent study has revealed.
The study which was undertaken by a team of scientists from India, highlights that taking zinc soon after the onset of the cold symptoms might be instrumental in speeding up the process of recovery.
However, the researchers have also warned against excessive zinc intake, which often produces toxic elements which causes a variety of health ailments.
During the review, the researchers took into consideration as many as 1,360 participants and evaluated data from 15 trials to reach the conclusion that consuming zinc supplements has a curative affect, if it is taken within a day of the onset of common cold.
The scientists concluded that zinc indeed has a role to play when it comes to warding off cold symptoms when after a week, the participants who took zinc were able to battle out the ailment successfully in comparison to those who consumed dummy ‘placebos’.
At the same time, the researchers also pointed out that the children who were administered with 15mg of zinc in the form of lozenges or syrups everyday for a period of five months or more, caught less cold.
Despite the promising results shown by the research, scientists have affirmed that the findings need to be further evaluated to understand the remedial properties of zinc when it comes to common cold.
Lead study author Meenu Singh who is associated with the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India said in a statement, “This review strengthens the evidence for zinc as a treatment for the common cold. “However, at the moment, it is still difficult to make a general recommendation, because we do not know very much about the optimum dose, formulation or length of treatment.”
