Autumn: warm days and cool evenings -- with an occasional hint of winter thrown in -- means that the seasonal cold is just around the corner. Zinc can help battle the bug, researchers say.
Scientists at Wales' Cardiff University say they have evidence that zinc shortens the duration and diminishes the severity of the common cold. The element appears to work by boosting the body’s immune system, particularly once infection has gained a foothold.
Dr. Ron Eccles, director of the school's Common Cold Unit, says it "could be that changes in the weather makes us react differently when we encounter cold viruses."
As a result, a mild zinc deficiency may make the difference between developing a cold and warding it off. Eccles recommends a zinc supplement be taken within 24 hours of the first appearance of a cold's symptoms.
