Larger Dose of Zinc Lozenges May Shorten Colds, University of Helsinki Study

There's still no cure for the common cold, but there may be a way to shorten its misery: A new study suggests that higher doses of zinc lozenges in certain formulations may cut the length of colds by more than 40 percent. Researcher Dr. Harri Hemila, of the University of Helsinki in Finland, reviewed 13 placebo-controlled trials examining the effect of zinc lozenges on cold infections. Three of them found that zinc acetate in daily doses of more than 75 milligrams (mg) shortened colds' duration by 42 percent, on average. Five trials using zinc salts other than acetate in daily doses greater than 75 mg shortened colds by an average of 20 percent, while another five using less than 75 mg per day produced no effect.