Question

Why might the zinc in a lozenge have a greater effect on cold duration than the zinc in a multivitamin/mineral supplement?

Answer 1

Zinc in a lozenge have a greater effect on cold duration than the zinc in a multivitamin /mineral supplement

Zinc has various effects on the immune system and its deficiency increases the risk of infections. In developing countries, there is evidence that zinc supplementation may reduce the risk of the common cold and pneumonia in children.

Zinc has become a popular treatment for the common cold. Some studies have found that zinc lozenges may reduce the duration of cold, perhaps by a day or so, and may reduce the number of upper respiratory infections in children.

Interest in zinc lozenges (tablets intended to be dissolved slowly in the mouth) for treating the common cold started from the serendipitous observation that a cold of a 3-year-old girl with leukemia disappeared when she dissolved a therapeutic zinc tablet in her mouth instead of swallowing it.

Megadose Zinc supplementation or high zinc intake has been associated with abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Inhaled zinc can cause permanent anosmia. Lozenges may be the best bet, since we know the daily dose should be at least 75 mg for treatment.

Zinc supplements (typically taken in pill form) can reverse or prevent zinc deficiency (which can otherwise impair the immune system, cause diarrhea, reduce taste, etc.) and help slow advanced macular degeneration of the retina. Zinc is also taken as a lozenge (or other orally dissolving formulation) to act locally on the throat to reduce the duration of a cold.

The tolerable upper intake level (UL) of a supplement is the highest amount that most people can take safely. Never take more unless your health care provider says so. Keep in mind that this upper limit includes the zinc you get from foods and supplements.