Interesting Facts

Never mind the vitamin C, new research carried out at the University of Alberta in Canada, and the University of Auckland, New Zealand, suggests that the best way to avoid the common cold is to wash your hands. (If you insist on paying for supplements, a daily dose of 10 or 15 milligrams of zinc sulphate has been shown to lower rates of colds. Probiotics, which boost the amount of friendly bacteria in the gut, may help prevent colds too, and our old friend honey had a slight effect in relieving cough symptoms, but vitamin C and antibiotics showed "no benefit". I notice they said nothing about the medicinal effects of a hot toddy.)

According to the the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), popular cough and cold medicines which have been used for years to treat children probably don't work. (Not only don't they work but they can also cause side effects like hallucinations! I knew there was a reason I never liked taking my medicine.)