Know the Risks of a Popular Common Cold Remedy

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Know the Risks of a Popular Common Cold Remedy

 

 

 

 

By Alan R. Gaby, MD

 

Healthnotes Newswire (December 2, 2004)—Zinc nasal sprays, a popular

remedy for the common cold, carry a small risk of damaging a person’s

sense of smell and those affected may have long-lasting or even

permanent damage, reports the American Journal of Rhinology

(2004;18:137–41).

 

Nasal sprays, nasal gels, and oral lozenges that contain zinc are among

the most widely used treatments for the common cold. Studies have shown

that zinc ions, which are released in high concentrations from these

products, can kill the virus that causes colds (rhinovirus). Zinc ions

also protect the cells of the respiratory tract from damage caused by

viral toxins, and may prevent rhinovirus from entering and infecting the

cells of the nose. Clinical trials of zinc lozenges and nasal

preparations have produced conflicting results, but a substantial number

of studies have found that these treatments reduce the duration of colds

by 50% or more.

 

Side effects reported in the clinical trials were relatively minor. Zinc

lozenges caused bad taste in the mouth, irritation of the mucous

membranes, nausea, or diarrhea in some cases. Users of zinc nasal

preparations often experienced a slight burning sensation in the nose,

but the frequency of this side effect was not significantly greater than

in people given a placebo. Although loss of smell was not reported in

the clinical trials, there is now evidence that nasal application of

zinc can cause this side effect in a small percentage of people.

 

According to the new report, a 55-year-old man with previously normal

taste and smell treated a cold with a nasal spray containing 2% zinc

gluconate. He noticed immediate burning in the nose, as well as loss of

smell, and did not use the spray again. Tests performed by a doctor

approximately one and two years after the incident demonstrated that his

sense of smell was still severely impaired. Subsequently, a total of ten

patients were identified from the Department of Otolaryngology,

University of Colorado School of Medicine, who had experienced a similar

adverse reaction after using intranasal zinc gluconate.

 

That intranasal zinc could damage a person’s sense of smell was first

recognized in the 1930s. During a polio epidemic, 5,000 children were

given intranasal sprays of a zinc solution. The rationale for that

treatment was that zinc ions would coagulate the proteins lining the

nasal passages, thereby preventing poliovirus from entering the body.

The treatment turned out to ineffective for preventing polio, and at

least one in ten children whose noses were sprayed with zinc lost their

ability to smell, apparently permanently. Subsequent studies in mice

showed that intranasal application of zinc can damage the cells

responsible for smell. The fact that this side effect was not identified

in clinical trials suggests that it does not occur frequently.

Nevertheless, because permanent loss of smell is a serious problem,

using intranasal zinc to treat the common cold may not be worth the

risk. Other natural treatments that appear to reduce the duration of

colds include vitamin C, echinacea, and zinc lozenges.

 

Alan R. Gaby, MD, an expert in nutritional therapies, testified to the

White House Commission on CAM upon request in December 2001. Dr. Gaby

served as a member of the Ad-Hoc Advisory Panel of the National

Institutes of Health Office of Alternative Medicine. He is the author of

Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis (Prima, 1994), and co-author of

The Natural Pharmacy, 2nd Edition (Healthnotes, Three Rivers Press,

1999), the A–Z Guide to Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions (Healthnotes,

Three Rivers Press, 1999), Clinical Essentials Volume 1 and 2

(Healthnotes, 2000), and The Patient’s Book of Natural Healing (Prima,

1999). A former professor at Bastyr University of Natural Health

Sciences, in Kenmore, WA, where he served as the Endowed Professor of

Nutrition, Dr. Gaby is the Chief Medical Editor for Healthnotes, Inc.

 

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