Cold-Eeze Lozenges Tropical Orange Flavor - 18 Ct., Pack of 2
If using cold-eeze — "tropical orange" is the best flavor (though they now have ones called “Cold-Eeze Plus Defense” with other potentially helpful things like echinacea).
I have friends who have looked into this and think that zinc acetate is slightly better than gluconate and they take this one (it also has 18.75mg of zinc vs. the 13mg in most cold-eeze lozenges). The lozenges are large cylinders and sort of chalky — very different from the classic cold-eeze, but I would advise you to go with whichever one you end up liking better.
Note: when evaluating other lozenges, check for citric acid/sorbitol/mannitol; it can reduce the effectiveness.
The procedure: when you first feel a cold coming on, suck on a lozenge and lie down/go to bed (and continue for another couple days).
This is not a supplement — the idea is that you want the zinc to coat the back of your throat, where the virus is replicating.
It’s most effective before the virus has had a chance to really up its numbers, so I'll sometimes take it preemptively if I find out I've been exposed to someone who was sick or if I've been traveling. Even if I do get sick, it’s usually mild. (I'm guessing because of lower viral load?)
(I think the studies want you to take 75-90mg/day, spaced across individual lozenges, but it might be better to think about the amount of time spent with zinc in the back of your throat)
Here's a meta-review of zinc lozenge use in shortening the duration of the common cold.
Update: I am also a strong believer in (Not your momma’s) Sinus Flushing and after doing some quick research to help a friend navigate Understanding Covid-19 (useful if you get it or don’t want to get it or want/need to talk to others about it), I am now speculatively adding a nasal spray with Iota-Carrageenan to my sick arsenal. (Xylitol spray is also part of my routine when I’m not up for a full flush.)
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