Extra help?
With more people turning to supplements at the first sign of cold or flu, chicken soup’s getting a run for its money. But what’s the science?
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Americans are increasingly heading to the supplements aisle at the first sign of a sniffle. Some believe that supplements are an effective way to head off a cold or the flu. Others are wary of the side effects associated with over-the-counter drugs, or alarmed about the risks cold medicines appear to pose to children.
Sales of cold and flu supplements have grown so much (8% in 2006, compared to 2% for over-the-counter drugs), that more traditional cold and flu brands have taken note. Even the mainstream Theraflu now makes a formulation, Fortifense, containing zinc, echinacea and vitamin C.
Sales of cold and flu supplements have grown so much (8% in 2006, compared to 2% for over-the-counter drugs), that more traditional cold and flu brands have taken note. Even the mainstream Theraflu now makes a formulation, Fortifense, containing zinc, echinacea and vitamin C.
But are supplements worth the money spent on them? If the goal is a quick recovery or rapid relief from symptoms, the answer is probably not. If the goal is prevention, the answer is ... maybe, depending on the product, its dose and timing.
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Discussion What's your favorite cold remedy? Does it always work for you?
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1. We drink Greek Mountain tea whenever a family member gets a cold. I'm not sure of the medicinal contents, but the tea helps alot with a stuffy nose and seems to shorten the duration of a cold.
Its a light herbal tea that you can get from most Greek stores. It has no caffeine that I know of, so my wife also prepares it for our daughter when she gets the sniffles.
Submitted by: Mike M 8:15 AM PDT, Mar 24, 2008 Submitted by: Neil 12:43 PM PDT, Mar 18, 2008 Submitted by: Peter 9:22 AM PDT, Mar 15, 2008 |
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