Dr. Michael Murray The IMMUNE FA CTOR - Natural MediFAQS

T H E I M M U N E F A C T O R
treatment of the common cold. It has been over 20
years since Linus Pauling wrote the book Vitamin C
and the Common Cold. Pauling based his opinion on
several studies that showed vitamin C was very effective
in reducing the severity of symptoms as well as the
duration of the common cold. Since 1970, there have
been over 20 double-blind studies designed to test
Pauling’s assertion. However, despite the fact that every
study demonstrated that the group receiving the
vitamin C had either a decrease in duration or symptom
severity, for some reason the clinical effect is still
debated in the medical community. A 1995 article that
appeared in the Journal of the American College of
Nutrition has shed some light on the controversy. 32
Use Zinc Lozenges
One of the most popular natural approaches to the
common cold is the use of zinc lozenges. There is good
scientific data to support this practice as several studies
have now shown that zinc lozenges provide relief of a
sore throat due to the common cold. Zinc is a critical
nutrient for optimum immune system function and, like
vitamin C, zinc also possesses direct antiviral activity.
There have been several double-blind, placebo controlled
studies showing the benefits of zinc lozenges in
reducing the severity and duration of cold symptoms. In
one of the most recent studies, one hundred patients
experiencing the early signs of the common cold were
provided a lozenge which contained either 13.3 mg of
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