"Since I've moved to Dallas in October I've had three colds, so it's been horrible."
Wandering the aisles of Walgreens, Jennifer Hooks won't find a cure for the common cold, but she can find help according to promising new research. "The study is actually very exciting," says Dr. Callie Hollenshead, family practitioner.
The study from the Cochrane Library suggests over the counter supplements that contain zinc can shorten the length and severity of the common cold. "It suggests that people who start taking zinc lozenges or syrup the first day they experience the symptoms have less symptoms for a shorter amount of time," says Dr. Hollenshead.
And that's nothing to sneeze at. According the Cochrane Study, adults get between 2 and 4 colds a year which accounts for 40 percent of missed work days.
"It can knock you down for a couple of days," says Hooks.
While the study suggests zinc can get your back on your feet quicker, it doesn't specify how much to take or what type. zinc comes in all forms...from liquid drops to lozenges. "I've tried a cold eeze one time and it does help lessen the but it made me kind of sick so," says Hooks.
Doctor Callie Hollenshead with Methodist Uptown Medical cautions you can take too much of it. "Zinc lozenges, if they're taken too often, can cause nausea and a bad taste reaction."
But after sniffling, coughing, and sneezing her way through her first few months in Dallas, Hooks is reaching for anything that can help. "I'm willing to try it again, for sure," says Hooks.
In order for zinc to be effective, researchers stress it must be taken within 24 hours of the first cough or sniffle.
