In addition, vitamin C for colds useless?

Vitamin C intake in case of a cold is unnecessary
The wet, cold weather of the last few days made many people have a cold. Some patients try to take additional vitamin C supplements. However, according to scientific findings, such preparations have no effect on the symptoms and the duration of a cold.

Taking vitamin C for colds
Cold, cough, headache: A flu infection, the "simple" cold, you can catch several times a year. The symptoms start slowly and fade away after a few days. When one is resting and using the right remedies, the disease usually progresses without major problems and usually heals within a few days. The intake of vitamin C supplements does not help.

Some people try to treat their cold with extra vitamin C. But taking such preparations does not help,
if the disease has already broken out. (Image: eyeQ / fotolia.com)

Rest and drink a lot
When the throat is scratching or the nose is running, some people try to fight the oncoming cold with extra vitamin C..

But studies show that such drugs "have no effect on the symptoms and the duration of a cold, if they are taken at the beginning of the common cold," explains the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) on his portal "gesundheitsinformation.de".

However, there is a lot that really helps with colds.

Above all, it is important to rest and drink a lot. Through an increased fluid intake, the stubborn mucus dissolves better and the secretions in the nose are diluted.

Natural home remedies for colds
Many colds also swear by ginger tea. The miracle ginger has an anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the sharpness of this natural remedy irritates the mucous membranes and promotes blood circulation.

Even cooking steam inhalations for the face are a proven home remedy for colds. These have an expectorant, secretory and anti-inflammatory.

It is also advisable to put a bowl of water on the heater and air several times a day.

Experts also usually recommend taking a cold every now and then - but not when you have a fever.

Shortened disease duration
Even if the intake of vitamin C at the beginning of the cold has no demonstrable effect on the symptoms and duration of the disease, preventive use may make sense.

Thus, the IQWiG writes on "gesundheitsinformation.de" that studies showed "that a longer-term daily intake did not prevent the common cold, but shortened the duration of the cold by about 10 percent." And further: "In addition, the long-term vitamin C intake could "Some of the studies examined the preventive effect of vitamin C in people who were briefly exposed to a very heavy physical stress from exercise, often in conjunction with cold. These included, for example, marathon runners and soldiers doing winter exercises in the mountains. In the studies, participants started taking vitamin C as a precautionary measure two to three weeks before the heavy burden. This prevented about half of all colds. "

According to experts, an adult's daily requirement for vitamin C is 100 milligrams. Most people in this country take enough of their food. (Ad)