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Is Vitamin C Effective for Colds?

The National Institute of Health takes the position that vitamin C is not effective as a cold treatment.

More Info: More than thirty clinical trials with a combined rate of over ten-thousand participants have been conducted to measure the effect of vitamin C on the common cold in terms of developing, frequency, severity of symptoms, and duration. A few promising studies did show positive results in relation to vitamin C intake and the duration a cold may last, but no study has yet been so conclusive as to cause the medical community to shout accolades.

One significant study analyzing data from previous studies indicated that those participants that were given vitamin C supplementation and were exposed to extreme exercise or cold environments experienced a shorter cold duration than those participants in the normal population taking the same supplementation.

Did You Know: A person consuming a healthy diet containing a variety of fruits and vegetables every day does not require vitamin C supplementation.

Did You Know: It really is easy to get your recommended daily allowance of vitamin C with little to no effort.  An orange and a half-cup of broccoli are sufficient sources for a whole day.

Did You Know: Though orange juice generally comes to mind when considering vitamin C, one-cup of strawberries actually contains more vitamin C.