If the coughing, sniffling and discomfort of the common cold are affecting you, cold remedies that contain zinc acetate might be on your list of things to try. While the use of zinc acetate for the common cold remains controversial, some research does point to a beneficial effect when it is used correctly. Unfortunately, it's easy to take too much zinc acetate, or to take it for too long. If you plan to use products with zinc acetate to help reduce cold symptoms, talk to your doctor before you begin.
Zinc Acetate
Zinc acetate is a form of the essential mineral zinc that is used in supplements. Zinc plays a role in a variety of aspects of cellular metabolism, immune function and normal bodily functioning. Because zinc reduces inflammation and inhibits the activity of rhinovirus, one of the viruses that can cause the common cold, zinc is sometimes used as a preventive or treatment for colds. Cough and cold remedies containing zinc frequently use the form zinc acetate, although some may use other forms of zinc, such as zinc gluconate.
Impact on Cold Symptoms
The impact of zinc acetate on cold symptoms remains under investigation, and many of the studies already done seem to conflict. A 2008 study in the "Journal of Infectious Diseases" found that people suffering from the common cold who took a zinc acetate lozenge every two to three hours had fewer cold symptoms and the symptoms they did have lasted a shorter time than people who didn't use zinc acetate. However, other studies, such as a 2000 study in "Clinical Infectious Diseases," found that zinc acetate had no effect on cold symptoms. The difference may come down to timing, however, and a multi-study analysis published in February 2011 in the "Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews" concluded that zinc supplements reduce cold symptoms when taken within 24 hours of the onset of the cold.
Formulation
Most remedies containing zinc acetate are sold as a lozenge or liquid, which allows the zinc to stick to your throat and come in direct contact with the rhinovirus. The National Institutes of Health's Office of Dietary Supplements recommends against using nasal sprays with zinc acetate or other forms of zinc because these products could cause permanent damage to your sense of smell.
Side Effects
Taking zinc acetate supplements or products containing zinc acetate for less than five days doesn't typically cause serious side effects, but it can cause gastrointestinal distress and mouth irritation in some individuals. Taking zinc acetate for a longer period of time could lead to deficiencies in copper in the body, since high levels of zinc can interfere with copper absorption. If your cold does not ease within five days of beginning zinc supplementation, contact a doctor to determine whether there is some other underlying problem. Taking zinc acetate more often than directed can lead to an overdose, which can cause abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
References
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: Zinc
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Zinc
- "Journal of Infectious Diseases"; Duration and Severity of Symptoms and Levels of Plasma Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist, Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor, and Adhesion Molecules in Patients With Common Cold Treated With Zinc Acetate; A.S. Prasad, et al.; March 2008
- "Clinical Infectious Diseases"; Effect of Treatment With Zinc Gluconate or Zinc Acetate on Experimental and Natural Colds; R.B. Turner, et al.; November 2000
- "Cochrane Database of Systemic Reviews"; Zinc for the Common Cold; M. Singh, et al.; February 2011
