{"id":932,"date":"2026-03-06T09:29:43","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/?p=932"},"modified":"2026-04-08T22:51:39","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:51:39","slug":"what-supplements-help-prevent-or-treat-a-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/what-supplements-help-prevent-or-treat-a-cold\/","title":{"rendered":"What Supplements Help Prevent or Treat a Cold?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Top 6 supplements Helpful in Cold Prevention and Treatment<\/b><\/p>\n

Dr Sherry Ross<\/b><\/p>\n

Even I am confused on what to take to help reduce the chance of getting a cold or reducing how long it keeps you out of commission! The list is long but the ones I have chosen to discuss have clinical evidence to support their benefits. Let me break it down for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are the top 6 supplements Helpful in Cold Prevention and Treatment.<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Zinc <\/b>might be your best bet to reduce the amount of time and the severity of cold symptoms.\u00a0 Zinc can actually kill cold viruses when taken for at least a week and at the correct dose.\u00a0 In the form of lozenges the daily doses of 80mg to 92mg (9 to 13mg of zinc per lozenge) given within 24 hours of cold symptoms have been found to shortened the duration of a runny nose, congestion, scratchy and sore throat, hoarseness and cough.\u00a0 In children, zinc syrup can be taken to also help cold symptoms. \u00a0 Zinc doses for children should be checked with their health care provider.\u00a0 My recommended brands include <\/span>Cold-Eze <\/span><\/i>Homeopathic Cold Remedy<\/span><\/i>, one lozenge (13.8mg of zinc) every 2 hours, <\/span>Nature\u2019s Way Zinc<\/span><\/i>, one lozenge (23mg of zinc) 6 times a day
    \n<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. If you have been taking certain combinations of <\/span>Probiotics <\/b>for a minimum of 3 months it was found to decrease the risk of getting a cold and the number of days you are symptomatic. \u00a0 1 billion viable cells of daily Lactobacillus plantarum and lactobacillus paracasei proved to be the effective dose.\u00a0 Colds symptoms would lessen 2 days sooner and symptoms were 34%\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    less severe in those taking probiotics.\u00a0 In children, probiotics were also found to be protective of the common cold symptoms.\u00a0 My recommended brands include Nature\u2019s Bounty Advanced Probiotic 10, 2 capsules a day, Nutri-Health Flora Source Multi-Probiotic Capsules with Bif Relief 24-7, 1 to 2 vegetarian capsules daily, Renew Life Ultimate Flora, 1 vegetarian capsule a day to name a few.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Vitamin C<\/b> has been given more credit than it deserves.\u00a0 Vitamin C cannot <\/span>prevent <\/span><\/i>a cold from coming. \u00a0 If you are low or deficient in vitamin C then taking supplements will help you be less prone to colds.\u00a0 Some studies suggest taking Vitamin C, a known antioxidant, may reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Taking 1gram of Vitamin C was shown to help cold symptoms and the amount of days symptoms lasted. In children, Vitamin C was also found to reduce the symptoms of the common cold. My recommended brands include Emergen-C-Super Orange 1,000mg per packet, 1 to 2 a day, Kirkland Signature Vitamin C, 1000mg per tablet, 1 to 2 a day, Trader Joe\u2019s Chewable Oranges & C, 500mg per wafer, 2 a day to name a few.<\/span><\/span> <\/li>\n
    2. Vitamin D<\/b> has been shown to decrease the numbe of colds and upper respiratory infection per year. \u00a0 You will have this protection if you have a blood level of Vitamin D greater than 20ng\/ml and are taking Vitamin D3 supplements daily for a minimum of 3 months.\u00a0 Vitamin D helps support your immune system preventing uncomfortable symptoms of colds and respiratory infections.\u00a0 Since many people are deficient in this \u201csunshine vitamin\u201d getting your levels check is the first step to know how much to supplement. How much Vitamin D\u00a0 to take is controversial but I suggest 2,000 to 4,000\/day. In children, Vitamin D was also found to reduce the number of colds and upper respiratory infection per year.\u00a0 \u00a0 Supplement with Vitamin D3 for optimal benefits.\u00a0 There are many reliable brands available.<\/span><\/span> <\/li>\n
    3. Echinacea<\/b> is a well-known herb thought to reduce the symptoms and duration a cold and flu.\u00a0 Taking liquid Echinacea 3 times a day during the winter may prevent you from getting the common cold. If you develop a cold it\u2019s recommended to take liquid Echinacea 5 times a day to reduce the number of symptomatic days and recurrences.\u00a0 In children, Echinacea was also found to reduce the symptoms and duration of the common cold.\u00a0 A standard adult daily dose of 900mg or tinctures made from the above-ground plant part of E.pururea.\u00a0 My recommended brands include Gaia Herbs Echinacea Supreme 2 liquid-filled capsules every 2 hours, GNC Herbal Plus Standardized Echinacea Extract 1 vegetarian capsule, 1 per day, Life Extension Echinacea Extract, 1 capsule 1-2 times\/day, Swanson Superior Herbs, 2 capsules, 4 times a day to name a few.<\/span><\/span> <\/li>\n
    4. Garlic supplements<\/b> may be effective against colds but studies are controversial.\u00a0 Garlic has been thought to strengthen the immune system when used regularly.\u00a0 A couple studies showed taking a garlic supplement daily may reduce the severity of colds and flu.\u00a0 A recommended dose is 600-900mg daily of a garlic powder extract with 1.3% alliin or 12,000mcg of alliin per dose.\u00a0 Allicin is the important enzyme and primary active ingredient in garlic, creating the typical garlic odor. My recommended brands include Herbalife Mega Garlic Plus, 600mg powder per tablet, 1 tablet daily, Metagenics Super Garlic 600, 600mg concentrate per tablet, 1 tablet daily, Nature\u2019s Way Garlic, 580 mg powder per capsule, 1 capsule 1-3 times a day to name a few.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      These supplements may interfere with your current medications so always discuss usage with your health care provider.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Don\u2019t forget the usual things like hand washing, coughing and sneezing into the inside of your elbow and not touching your eyes, nose or mouth as these are ways the cold virus can enter your body.\u00a0 Getting plenty of rest, eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly are also helpful lifestyle habits.\u00a0 One last step in prevention is getting the flu shot annually.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Top 6 supplements Helpful in Cold Prevention and Treatment Dr Sherry Ross Even I am confused on what to take to help reduce the chance of getting a cold or reducing how long it keeps you out of commission! The list is long but the ones I have chosen to discuss have clinical evidence to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=932"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":940,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/932\/revisions\/940"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/portfolio.zenkoders.com\/ai-powered\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}