Does Zinc actually make a difference, or is it overhyped?
An updated Cochrane review found zinc can reduce the duration of common cold symptoms when started within 24 hours of onset, a finding consistent with an earlier Cochrane review and supportive systematic reviews, though the benefit is modest and dosing/formulation dependent. Weighing the data: Zinc looks an early-stage, lower-priority area for now — the evidence is only moderate (60/100), and its estimated impact (40/100) is on the lower end too.
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Zinc
Moderate evidence
Evidence
60
Impact
40