For Surfside Beach resident Gwendolyn L. Davis, having time to run her Diversity Hair Salon business and taking care of her five children can be difficult, especially during cold season.
"I would say I have to take off about two days a month during the cold season," says Davis. "I've tried everything, vitamin C, vitamin D, herbal teas. You name it."
Right now, Davis' 16 year-old daughter is battling a cold at home. She's been sick for about two days.
"If it doesn't get better soon, I'm going to have to take her to the doctor."
New research for the mineral zinc may be what Davis has been searching for all along.
It's not yet the cure-all we've been asking for, but scientists at the Cochrane Collaboration say taking zinc supplements may help fight back common cold symptoms and even prevent you from getting the viral infection.
The research compared using zinc to placebo testing whether the mineral can prevent the common cold or hold back its symptoms. The study found that healthy adults and children taking zinc supplements such as syrup, lozenges or tablets within 24 hours of their first signs had shorter lasting and less grueling colds than those who took the placebo. The zinc participant's odds of still having cold symptoms at the seven day mark were slashed by more than half.
Children taking part in the study missed fewer days of school and didn't take as many antibiotics as other children. Taking zinc lozenges or syrup daily for five months cut an adults likeliness of catching a cold by one-third.
Lee's Inlet Apothecary pharmacist Willie Lee says he suggests cold remedies containing zinc to his clients dealing with the virus.
"Those medicines with zinc have been shown to stop the spreading of a cold throughout your body," says Lee. "I recommend it for anyone who plans to use it short term to get rid of cold symptoms."
The long term effects of zinc concern the Murrells Inlet pharmacist. Studies have shown taking zinc over a long period of time can sometimes interfere with the body absorbing other essential minerals like copper and calcium.
"There's just no research out there that suggests to take zinc daily. But I don't see anything wrong with trying taking Zicam Lozenges to help with a quick cold," Lee says.
Gwendolyn Davis will still use just about anything if it can stop the cold virus in its tracks.
"I've never heard of that helping," says Davis. "But if it does, I won't having to keep buying those teas."
What do you find to be the best cold remedy? Do you grab an herbal supplement at the first sign of the sniffles? Do you think we'll ever have a "cure for the common cold?" Leave your thoughts below!
