It seems this month is a good time to remind ourselves of some of the alternatives to combating colds naturally.
A recent interview by American researchers at the St Joseph Family Medicine Residency in Mishawaka, Indiana, the US, revealed that nearly all the conventional cold treatments, inhaled corticosteroids and over the counter (OTC) antihistamines, decongestants and cough medicines simply don’t work – for adults or children.
More worrying, the researchers flagged up evidence showing just how dangerous these medicines can be for children, in particular the very young. According to data from the American Association of Poison Control Centres, cold and cough medicines are among the top 20 substances leading to death in children under five (Am. Fam. Physician, 2012; Clin. Toxicol., 2010).
Regulators in the UK and the US are urging parents to avoid these drugs for their young children. In 2008, the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) issued a public health advisory, recommending that OTC cold and cough medicines should not be used to treat children younger than two.
These reports occurred when children received too much medication, according to the FDA, as in the cases of accidental ingestion, unintentional overdose or dosing errors. Similar concerns over the use of OTC cold and cough medicines have been raised in the UK.
Soon after the FDA’s advisory, the UK government Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency warned that OTC cold and cough medicines shouldn’t be used in children aged under six.
Some natural remedies to consider follow; however, it is worth remembering that none of these have an immediate effect. Sadly, so many people look for a quick fix in answer to their ailments. With natural remedies, it is all about planning, thinking ahead and patience. If the work is put in place early enough, when taking care of the body, then it is amazing how the immune system can weather the storm through stress, trauma and winter colds.
I have to begin with vitamin C. The most important point is that it should be taken all year round and not as a quick-fix solution. Although a review of several trials concluded that vitamin C is ineffective for treating colds, whether or not it works will have a huge connection to the dose taken. If the dose taken is low and infrequent, it will always prove ineffective.
One large trial in adults reported a reduction in cold duration with a single large dose given on the first day of illness. The researchers also found that more people in the high-dose group had short colds (colds lasting a day) compared to people in the lower-dose group (Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., 2011).
A consideration with large doses of vitamin C is that it can cause diarrhoea. Taking a buffered form, such as magnesium ascorbate, may reduce the risk of this effect; alternatively, taking the vitamin in divided doses helps. However, taking a good sized dose throughout the year will keep colds at bay. Researchers found that those who took vitamin C regularly caught fewer colds.
If the work is put in place early enough, then it is amazing how the immune system can weather the storm through stress, trauma and winter colds
Probiotics are known for their immune boosting properties. These friendly bacteria appear to help stave off colds when taken as a prevention. A review of 10 high-quality trials including nearly 3,500 people found that taking probiotics like either yoghurt (good quality) or supplements, led to 12 per cent fewer colds than with a placebo.
Probiotic users also used fewer antibiotics to treat colds (Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., 2011). The evidence suggests that multi-strain probiotics are more effective than single strain preparations.
US researchers found that adults who are more active during the autumn and winter months spend three-and-a-half fewer days suffering from colds and flu, compared to their more sedentary counterparts.
Regular exercisers tend to have milder symptoms when they do get ill, it was discovered. Aim for 20 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise, such as swimming, jogging or cycling on five or more days each week.
Garlic is a natural antibacterial and might be worth trying for cold prevention. In a trial of 146 volunteers, one capsule a day of an allicin containing garlic supplement led to 63 per cent fewer colds and 70 per cent fewer sick days, compared to those taking a placebo (Adv. Ther., 2001). It would be a great idea to give them out at the office.
For children, honey is a useful cough fighter. In a trial of more than 100 children aged two to 18, those who received a single dose of raw buckwheat honey coughed less and had fewer sleep difficulties than children given an antitussive or no treatment.
Another prevention for children can be giving them a dose of zinc for at least five months. Children who took zinc sulphate tablets throughout the winter cut their number of colds, days off school and prescriptions for antibiotics, by more than half, in one placebo-controlled trial (Iran J. Pediatrics, 2009). Similar, although not as dramatic, results were seen in another trial using zinc sulphate syrup.
I don’t have the space to list all the alternatives; however, there are others including echinacea, various herbs and saltwater nasal rinsing. Keep healthy this winter.
kathryn@maltanet.net