Does Vitamin C Help Fight Colds
However some studies have found that taking vitamin c before cold symptoms start may shorten the length of time you have symptoms.
Does vitamin c help fight colds. The vitamin appeared to have a. Now most of these studies looked at people. Though there s currently no cure for covid 19 preventive measures. The science shows that overall regular ingestion of vitamin c had no effect on the common cold as far as in the incidence or how common colds are.
So if you are healthy feeling well and are just trying to prevent catching the cold vitamin c can t do much for you. Around 1970 nobel prize winner linus pauling popularized the theory that vitamin c helps treat colds. In some cases it made symptoms improve. Taking at least 200 mg of vitamin c per day did appear to reduce the duration of cold symptoms by an average of 8 in adults and 14 in children which translated to about one less day of illness.
It can shorten the length of a cold and decreases the severity of the illness sevilla says. In 2010 researchers looked at all studies and found that taking vitamin c every day did not prevent the number of colds that a person got. But if you re already sick it s a different story. Also keep in mind that taking vitamin c regularly might shorten the time you struggle with a cold but it may not prevent colds altogether the recent study notes.
Most colds are caused by a type of virus called rhinovirus which thrives and multiplies in the nasal passages and throat upper respiratory system. Recently an analysis of several studies showed that zinc lozenges or syrup reduced the length of a cold by one day especially when taken within 24 hours of the first signs and symptoms of a cold. Vitamin c can help you get over a cold faster. But for the general population taking daily vitamin c did not reduce the risk of getting a cold.
It appears that taking vitamin c won t usually help the average person prevent colds. Overall experts have found little to no. To get plenty of immune strengthening vitamin c in your diet make sure you re eating a variety of fruits and vegetables.