Science Forums 2

[Biochemist]

Originally Posted by TeleMad

...It claims to be clinically proven to reduce the duration of a cold. It's only active ingredient is zinc.

But if zinc - listed as the active ingredient - is thought to help in reducing the duration of a cold (I don't know if it does or not), how could the product be truly homeopathic?

Zinc actually is interesting, in that it is reported anecdotally to improve cold recovery and also to reduce the severity and duration of sore throats. Zinc is a non-controlled mineral I(like iron or calcium), hence it is one of those products that are not evaluated or controlled by the FDA.

I am not sure if there are any criteria that make a treatment "homeopathic" other than the perception of "natural".

I am not aware of any really good studies to confirm the zinc effect (in spite of the claim) although there could be some. There are similar claims for the use of ice during the prodrome for a cold sore to reduce incidence and duration.

I both of these cases, the study is design is tough because the researcher can't crossover the population. In the case of ice therapy, the researcher can't even blind the users. Placebo effects are rampant.

Also, it is really hard to get investment for the study because there is no one that has an economic gain out of the study.

Researchers do altruistically run studies with no economic gain all of the time, but colds are tough to study becasue you have to get a more-or-less synchronized population for a disease that is going to self resolve on a variable course anyway. It is hard for a researcher to get motivated to study colds.