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How nutrition works

Common cold

What studies show about nutrients and the common cold.

The common cold is usually a harmless viral infection of the airways. Here you find what studies show about vitamin C, zinc and other nutrients for preventing a cold or shortening its duration – with evidence level and sources.

Nutrients & foods

  • Evidence: moderateneutral

    Vitamin C

    • Regular vitamin C supplementation does not meaningfully reduce the risk of catching a cold in the general population. [1]

      Evidence

  • Evidence: limitedmixed

    Zinc

    • Zinc supplements may shorten an existing cold, but a reliable preventive benefit has not been established. [2]

      Evidence

Sources

  1. 01Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2013Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common coldOpen source
  2. 02Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2024Zinc for the prevention and treatment of the common coldDOI 10.1002/14651858.cd014914.pub2