Re: common cold: vitamin c and zinc do not affect
2 Feb 2002 20:19:51 -0800 in article
<d996c21a.0202022019.5b1c16b4~posting.google.com>
mypcos~hotmail.com (Wuzzy) wrote:
>In 4000 people followed around for one year those who intake
>more vitamin c had no better protection against common cold.
>
I think that most studies about the vitamin C and the
incidence of common cold have found that in general population
vitamin C has little or no effect on the incidence of common
cold (for example Hemilä et al
[1], Douglas et al [3)]. However, reductions in incidence have
been observed in specific groups of people (Hemilä [9,12]).
Also, vitamin C seems to reduce slightly but significantly
the duration of the symptoms of common cold. This reduction
seems to be dose dependent: daily doses below 1 gram don't
seem to have effect, and one study found that 6 grams/d
reduced the duration of the symptoms more than 3 grams/d.
Apparently the supplementation may have to be continued as
long as the symptoms last, because recently Audera et al
[2] found no effect when vitamin C was taken only at onset
of a cold and for the following two days
References:
2: Hemila H, Kaprio J, Albanes D, Heinonen OP, Virtamo J.
Vitamin C, vitamin e, and Beta-carotene in relation to
common cold incidence in male smokers. Epidemiology. 2002
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-Matti Narkia
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