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Common colds are mild viral infections of the nose, throat, sinuses and upper airways. Researchers from the University of Helsinki have revealed zinc acetate lozenges could increase the rate of recovery from a cold.
Colds often strike in winter, main symptoms are sore throat, a blocked or
runny nose, sneezing and a cough.
There is no immediate cure for the condition, but the NHS recommends staying home and resting, drinking plenty of fluids and eating healthily as the top ways to treat it.
The scientists analysed three patient trials with in which 80 to 91 mg/day of elemental zinc were administered as zinc acetate lozenges to 199 common cold patients.
The results found patients who were given the lozenges recovered faster.
Experts said the effect was not modified by age, sex, race, allergy, smoking or severity of the common cold.
The researchers said: “On the fifth day, 70 per cent of the zinc patients had recovered compared with 27 per cent of the placebo patients.
Colds spread by touching an object or surface contaminated by infected droplets and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes, touching the skin of someone who has the infected droplets on their skin and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes.