11/05/2025
More than a dozen randomized controlled trials have been published on zinc lozenges for the common cold, and, overall, researchers have found that oral zinc, when taken within the first 24 hours of symptom onset, may be beneficial in reducing both duration and severity of the common cold. Zinc lozenges appear to shorten colds by about three days and significantly reduce nasal discharge, congestion, hoarseness, and cough.
What’s the best way to take zinc for the common cold? Lozenges containing around 10 to 15 milligrams of zinc taken every two waking hours for a few days, starting immediately upon symptom onset, as either zinc acetate or zinc gluconate without binders (such as citric acid, tartaric acid, glycine, sorbitol, or mannitol) may work best.
Supplementing with zinc long-term doesn't appear to reduce getting sick in the first place, though. We should instead focus on including healthy whole-food sources of zinc in our diet by eating foods such as legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Watch the video “Would Zinc Lozenges Help with COVID-19?” at see.nf/zinc to learn more.
How Not to Age is out now https://see.nf/HNTABook.
PMIDs: 27378206, 25888289, 23775705, 28515951, 33472840
