Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Common colds were shortened by 7 days in a 1984 clinical trial using zinc gluconate throat lozenges each 2 h. Between then and 2004, 10 other double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trials showed widely varying results. This re-analysis of these trials presents solution chemistry methods to elucidate differences in efficacy. Statistically significant correlation was shown between total daily dosages of positively charged zinc species and reductions in median (p = 0.005) and mean duration (p < 0.02) of common colds in these trials.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
George A. Eby (2004) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 10 related papers. Consider them for comparative context: