Colds that hit late in the season can be especially nasty. This reader has really suffered: Q. I have a terrible time with colds and flu symptoms all the time. No sooner do I get over one cold than I come down with another. Tests haven’t shown why I get sick so often. I eat well and sleep well and exercise regularly. Because of high blood pressure I worry about taking over-the-counter cold remedies. I never know which ones are safe. Do you have any herbal recommendations that might help my immune system ward off these infections and relieve my symptoms? A. One Chinese herb, Andrographis paniculata (Kan Jang), has been tested in double-blind trials and found to shorten the duration of cold symptoms. Another, Astragalus, has a long tradition of use against colds. Zinc has also been tested and found to shorten colds, though the results are somewhat confusing and conflicting. Vitamin C has gotten bad press of late, but we still think there are data supporting Linus Pauling’s approach to the common cold.
Here is a link to an article in the journal CMAJ (Feb. 18, 2014) that discusses vitamin C, zinc, probiotics and a number of other remedies for the common cold. One of the reasons health professionals often look askance at natural approaches to treating the common cold is that the data are not always consistent. We have a hypothesis to explain that. There are over 200 different viruses that cause the so-called common cold. What we are really talking about, of course, are upper respiratory tract infections. Although they have similarities, there is also a lot of variability from the symptoms produced by one virus when compared with another. We have always thought it was short-sighted to assume that vitamin C might ward off complications of every single virus that causes an upper respiratory tract infection. Ditto for zinc or Chinese herbs. Sometimes zinc seems to work like a charm and other times it fails miserably. Perhaps the reason is not the remedy but rather the nature of the infection itself.
In other words, some viruses may be especially vulnerable to zinc. Other viruses may trigger symptoms that respond well to vitamin C. We are speculating, but we think this could be a plausible explanation for the tremendous variability people report in response to various home remedies. You can learn more about a diversity of natural approaches to colds in Our Guide to Colds, Coughs and Flu. Some of the remedies that are mentioned tell how to make helpful ginger or thyme tea. Watch out for oral decongestants in the ingredient list of any over-the-counter cold medicine. Drugs like phenylephrine or pseudoephedrine could make your blood pressure rise. They may also keep you awake at night, which would be counterproductive since sleep is a great way to boost your immunity.Vitamin C, sometimes called ascorbic acid, is a nutrient also classified as an antioxidant. Antioxidants are vitamins that prevent and repair damage incurred by your cells due to aging, an unhealthy diet, excess stress and toxins such as cigarette smoke.
The human body is unable to produce or store vitamin C, so you must consume the nutrient on a regular basis in order to stay healthy. Vitamin C is an ideal supplement to have on hand during cold and flu season. The Role and Benefits of Vitamin C The primary function of vitamin C is to produce and nourish collagen, a supportive component found in your skin, ligaments, and blood vessels. The fact that vitamin C is related to blood vessel health has a positive effect on your heart health as well, explains the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center. People who are getting adequate amounts of vitamin C enjoy a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases then those who are deficient in the vitamin. The antioxidant properties of vitamin C reduce the risk of eye diseases as well, including cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Vitamin C is often associated with easing the symptoms of the common cold and flu viruses. The main method in which vitamin C boosts your immunity is by increasing both the production and vigor of your immune system's main fighters, the white blood cells.
White blood cells work to kill the viruses that invade your body during cold and flu season. Studies of the benefits of vitamin C in relation to catching a cold are mixed, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Some participants in trials caught fewer colds or had a shortened duration of symptoms when taking vitamin C supplements, while other study subjects didn't notice a difference. Recommended Intake Everyone needs vitamin C in order to remain healthy. Symptoms of deficiency, called scurvy, can include: Infants meet their recommended intake of vitamin C through breast milk or baby formula. Children under the age of 13 should consume between 15 and 45 mg of the vitamin daily, according to the Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board. Teens and adults require 65 to 90 mg daily. Smokers of both genders and women who are pregnant or nursing are in need of more vitamin C and should boost their intake to between 80 and 120 mg daily. Vitamin C is an extremely tolerable nutrient and generally doesn't produce adverse effects unless consumed in large doses--more than 2000 mg daily.
Your body will flush out excess vitamin C that it doesn't need. The most common signs of toxicity are diarrhea and upset stomach. Food Sources Vitamin C is fairly easy to consume through diet alone for most people. Fruit is a major dietary source of the nutrient, especially citrus fruits, including: Other foods sources that contain vitamin C and are easy to integrate into your weekly meal plan include: Supplementation If you're not eating enough vitamin C-rich food or start to feel run down and sniffly, boost your vitamin C intake through supplementation under your doctor's supervision. Vitamin C supplements are available in a wide variety, including chewable tablets, capsules, and drops that are similar to hard candy. Stash a bottle or bag of vitamin C supplements in your medicine cabinet, purse, or desk drawer and pop a couple when you feel cold symptoms coming on. Drinking a tall glass of orange juice (unless you have diabetes) can also help keep your vitamin C levels up when viruses abound.