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Traditional wisdom tells you what to do when you
get a cold: Drink water, get plenty of sleep, wash
your hands, use a tissue to cover your mouth or
nose if you cough or sneeze, stay home if you're
sick, use appropriate over-the-counter medication
to treat your specific symptoms, and avoid unnecessary
antibiotics
But what about non-traditional approaches to
treating a cold? "It's a mixed bag when it comes to
alternative remedies", says Nicole Nisly, M.D., director
of UI Hospitals and Clinics' Alternative and
Complementary Medicine Clinic.
While research from one quarter says vitamin C or
zinc may help, other research says it doesn't. According
to the National Institutes of Health, there
is no conclusive evidence that taking vitamin C will
help prevent a cold or shorten its duration or
intensity. However, it is recognized that Vitamin
C helps boost your body's immune system.
Vitamin C may only be useful in case of a cold
if you have low levels of this nutrient to begin
with. The success rate may be very individual.
The zinc story is equally confusing. The NIH
Office of Dietary Supplements says the effect of
zinc treatments on the severity or duration of cold
symptoms is controversial. A study of more than 100
employees of the Cleveland Clinic in 1996 indicated
that zinc lozenges decreased the duration of colds
by one-half, but didn't seem to impact fevers or
muscle aches. Recent research suggests that the effect
of zinc may depend on the specific supplement
formula that delivers the zinc.
For more information about
alternative methods to avoid or treat
a cold available at the Alternative and
Complementary Medicine Clinic, call UI Health Access, 319-384-8442, ext. 105,
or 800-777-8442, ext. 105.
For more information
Listed above are several Web sites that offer additional
information on this topic. University of Iowa Health Care
does not sponsor or endorse these sites, or guarantee the
accuracy of the information contained on these sites. These
links are here for general information only, and should not
be used for personal diagnosis or treatment. If you have any
questions, please contact UI
Health Access.
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