Zinc and Vitamin C

Winter approaches, and will we have more flu on the way?

Many take vitamin C as some sort of protection, but I have hears that men should take vitamin C with zinc, for all sorts of reasons.

Does anyone do this?

I take Vitamin C every day and often use zinc lozenges when I have a sore throat (they actually work!). Whether either of them will actually prevent you from getting the flu however I don't know.

As a man, if you eat a reasonable amount of meat you have plenty of zinc in your system. Excess zinc fights for absorption with other trace minerals and can cause deficiency of ones like copper especially.

Vitamin C you can go nuts on. I take about 2 grams of vitamin C a day on average on top of my multi. The reality is though that there has never been a lick of evidence linking high vitamin C intake with reduced incidence of colds or flu, but it is one in which there is really no harm in taking too much, and vitamin C just serves an endless list of biological functions.

They say there is no proof...whoever "they" are...but whenever I take Vitamin C like I should, I stay healthy, virus free. The only problem that will bother me is my sinuses (I have yet to find a good solution to remedy that problem). When I stop taking it for various reasons (too lazy, too cheap, etc), I catch everything going around.

Vitamin C helps me, and with everything else, YMMV.

I take them as part of my multi-vitamin. As far as extra doses for cold prevention or treatment I know a number of people who swear by it but it's never really done a whole lot for me.

Swampfox said:

They say there is no proof...whoever "they" are...but whenever I take Vitamin C like I should, I stay healthy, virus free. The only problem that will bother me is my sinuses (I have yet to find a good solution to remedy that problem). When I stop taking it for various reasons (too lazy, too cheap, etc), I catch everything going around.

Vitamin C helps me, and with everything else, YMMV.

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Well I know everyone says that but every single study they've ever done on the matter has shown no difference in rates of getting sick between those who take vitamin C and those who don't.

They've done an insane amount of research on this, you'd think they would find something, anything given how many people swear by vitamin C.

I googgled "zinc men" but it was vitamen c that came out top of the top search

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/healthfitness/menshealth/part1_4-2.html

toucanlamp said:

Well I know everyone says that but every single study they've ever done on the matter has shown no difference in rates of getting sick between those who take vitamin C and those who don't.

They've done an insane amount of research on this, you'd think they would find something, anything given how many people swear by vitamin C.

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I'm with you Toucanlamp. I take megadoses of Vit C for _the rationale_ that folks like L. Pauling give (mammals that didn't lose the capacity to make Vitamin C make gobs of it and maybe there's a good reason for that), but readily admit that I'm not aware of any established benefits, other than avoiding scurvy and maybe sub-clinical scurvy.

After starting my megadosing regimen, I went 18 months without getting a cold. It was certainly a personal record; I usually picked up a cold every 6-9 months. However, at the same time I increased my dosage of Vit C, based on scientifically based recommendations, I also started washing my hands more often and stopped picking my nose and touching my eyes (hey, someone had to say it ;-). Which prevented me from getting a cold, Vit C or improved hygiene? Maybe both, but most probably (or definitely) the latter.

Not to be cruel, but the phrase YMMV is most often used to mean "my sample size is too small for me to understand the mechanism I'm trying to explain. Good luck!"

Cheers,

Steve

I don't supplement either, but I also eat primarily whole foods and get a cold about every 1.5 years.

I steer clear of fad cures. Depending on who you ask, I hear all about herbal blends, zinc, vitamins, etc. I tend to do as Emmett suggests: try to eat right, practice good hygiene, and do as my doc suggests.