C Yourself Well
By Bonnie Jenkins, Advanced Natural Wellness

Around this time of year I always get questions about the best way to prevent the common cold. Of course, the person asking the question is thinking that I’ll recommend some exotic herb or little known remedy – and they look a little disappointed when they hear what I have to say.

The truth is, if you’re looking to boost your immunity against winter sniffles, look no further than vitamin C. That’s right – this good old standby is one of the best weapons around to fend off colds.

C-ing is Believing

Ok, so it’s no secret that taking an ample amount of vitamin C can help to ward off  common colds. Yet, even though those of us in the real world know this little bit of wellness wisdom, a surprising number of scientists dismiss this cold preventative as just an old wives tale.

Well, I’ve got news for those ivory tower folks – it turns out that all of us who swear by vitamin C’s cold-busting abilities were right after all. In a randomized controlled trial of 244 people, Japanese researchers found that supplementing with vitamin C significantly reduces the frequency of the common cold. The subjects in their study were given either 50 mg. or 500 mg. of vitamin C for five years. While those taking the low dose caught more colds than those in the higher dose group (21.3 vs. 17.1), both groups had considerably fewer colds than people who don’t take vitamin C.

Not only does vitamin C help to prevent a cold – it can shorten your suffering if you do succumb to the virus. A few years ago, British investigators tested vitamin C against a placebo in 168 volunteers. Not only did the vitamin C group have fewer colds, the colds they did catch didn’t last as long and were considerably less severe.

Approximately 62 million Americans will get a cold this year, and put a $40 billion strain on the U.S. economy because of lost work and school time. Fortunately, practicing this little bit of prevention can help you avoid being one of the statistics. While these studies used relatively low doses of vitamin C (500 mg.), it’s best to take at least 2,000 mg. a day. Most forms of vitamin C don’t build up in the body, so taking large doses is safe.

The only exception to this rule is if you take fat soluble form of vitamin C known as ascorbyl palmitate. While this form is better absorbed by the body, it isn’t excreted as readily and may build up to toxic levels. Although this form is usually only included in pricier vitamin C supplements, check the label to make sure. If your vitamin C supplement includes ascorbyl palmitate, ratchet the dose down to no more than 1,000 mg. per day.

The Cold Shoulder

If, despite your best efforts, you still catch a cold, think zinc. This mineral has proven to be extremely effective in shortening the duration of colds, and even halting them –  sometimes before you even reach for the tissue box.

Although a Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine review of articles found that clinical tests have been inconsistent, the review concluded that zinc effectively and significantly shortened the duration of the common cold when it was given within 24 hours of the onset of symptoms. The review also found that the inconsistencies in the clinical studies were mainly due to poor study design and the contents of the zinc lozenges.

In one of these studies, 48 students, staff and employees at Wayne State University who had cold symptoms for 24 hours or less were given either a placebo or a zinc lozenge that contained 12.8 mg zinc acetate. Participants were given 50 lozenges and asked to dissolve one in their mouths every two to three hours as long as they had cold symptoms. They didn’t take any other cold preparations and all the participants returned to the clinic one day after their colds ended. At that time, their plasma was examined for an immune factor, called pro-inflammatory cytokines, which causes cold symptoms.

The researchers discovered that the zinc recipients suffered from symptoms an average of 4.5 days, whereas the placebo group felt lousy for an average of 8.1 days. Most notably, the zinc recipients coughed for only three days compared to six days for the placebo patients. When they initially came in for treatment, those who ended up taking zinc supplements actually reported more severe cold symptoms, including fever, sneezing and sore throat. However, by day four, their severity score was only half that of the placebo group.

Many of us who use zinc lozenges have found that when we take it at the first sign of a cold – that sniffle or scratchy feeling at the back of the throat – we are able to nip the virus in the bud. So pay attention to your body and start taking zinc as soon as you notice the very first symptoms.

One Last Thing . . .

If you’re the type of parent or grandparent who wraps the kids in sweaters and coats at the first shiver of winter, you may just be on to something. According to researchers at Cardiff University’s Common Cold Center, being cold actually can trigger a cold!

The investigators asked 180 volunteers to take off their shoes and socks and either sock their feet in ice-cold water or place them in an empty bowl for 20 minutes. Among those who bathed their feet in the frigid water, 29 percent developed cold symptoms over the next four to five days compared to just nine percent in the control group.

According to the researchers, many of us are mildly infected during cold season but show no symptoms. But if you become chilled, the blood vessels in the nose become constricted, shutting off the warm blood that supplies the infection-fighting white blood cells. And without that protection, your cold blossoms.

So ignore the critics and bundle up. And don’t forget the snow boots!

This Just In . . .

Office parties, family gatherings and get-togethers with friends – if there’s a season when people overindulge in alcohol, its winter will all of its holiday festivities. But drinking too much alcohol can give you more than just a hangover.

It turns out that men who consume up to five alcoholic beverages in a day have a substantially greater risk of having a stroke. According to the Copenhagen City Heart Study – the largest study on drinking and the heart – people who don’t drink, or who drink in moderation, have a very low risk of stroke compared to those who drink heavily or frequently.

Earlier research has shown that older men who drink three to four drinks a day have a higher risk of atrial fibrillation – a dangerous arrhythmia tied to stroke. And, while these two studies were conducted on men, women don’t get a free pass either. Experts recommend limiting the amount you drink to no more than two drinks a day for men and just one for women.

Whether you celebrate the season with a cup of good cheer or a glass of nonalcoholic eggnog, I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukah!

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References:

Hulisz D. “Efficacy of zinc against common cold viruses: an overview.” Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association. 2004;44:594-603.

Mukamal KJ, Ascherio A, Mittleman MA, et al. “Alcohol and risk for ischemic stroke in men: the role of drinking patterns and usual beverage.” Annals of Internal Medicine. 2005;142:11-19.

Mukamal KJ, Tolstrup JS, Friberg J, et al. “Alcohol consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation in men and women.” Circulation. 2005;112:1736-1742.

Prasad AS, Fitzgerald JT, Bao B, et al. “Duration of symptoms and plasma cytokine levels in patients with the common cold treated with zinc acetate. “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” Annals of Internal Medicine. 2000;133:245-252.

Sasazuki S, Sasaki S, Tsubono Y, et al. “Effect of vitamin C on common cold: randomized controlled trial.” European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2005; pS0954-3007.

Van Straten M, Josling P. “Preventing the common cold with a vitamin C supplement: a double-blind, placebo-controlled survey.” Advances in Therapy. 2002;19:151-159.

“’Wrap up’ advice to stop colds.” CNN. 14 November 2005