A new study has found that zinc might be able to prevent and relieve symptoms of respiratory tract infections, such as the flu and pneumonia.
However, researchers warn that the optimal dosage, formulation and administration method remain unclear.
"Not surprisingly, zinc has garnered attention during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Both high-income and low-income countries have seen increased zinc supplement use and sales," the authors wrote. Participants who used zinc products during the first week of illness were also nearly twice as likely to recover compared to those who used a placebo. On average, 19 per cent of those who did not use zinc remained symptomatic after a week.
However, zinc was found to be ineffective when it came to colds, which are caused by rhinovirus infections. The researchers found that sublingual zinc, which is administered under the tongue, had no effect on preventing colds or easing symptoms.
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