Vitamin C
Vitamin C greatly shortens the severity and duration of viral illnesses. The recommended daily allowance of vitamin C for adults is 60 mg/day for adults, but research suggests that this a minimum to prevent deficiency diseases such as scurvy, not promote optimal health. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products [2,11]. Phytates—which are present in whole-grain breads, cereals, legumes, and other foods—bind zinc and inhibit its absorption [2,12,13] Vitamin C for Colds and Flus. Vitamin C has been demonstrated to have a strong anti-viral effect. Orthomolecular.org states: “In high doses, vitamin C neutralizes free radicals, helps kill viruses, and strengthens the body’s immune system. Oysters contain more zinc per serving than any other food, but red meat and poultry provide the majority of zinc in the American diet. Other good food sources include beans, nuts, certain types of seafood (such as crab and lobster), whole grains, fortified breakfast cereals, and dairy products [2,11]. Phytates—which are present in whole-grain breads, cereals, legumes, and other foods—bind zinc and inhibit its absorption [2,12,13] 1 Vitamin D does not help prevent the common cold. 2  Monthly doses of vitamin D do not help prevent the common cold while daily or weekly dosing does. 3  Levels above 20 ng/ml (92 % of the placebo group) are all that is required to lower the infection rate. Monthly doses of vitamin D do not help prevent the common cold while daily or weekly dosing does. Levels above 20 ng/ml (92 % of the placebo group) are all that is required to lower the infection rate. I am unaware of any study that used significant daily doses for an entire winter that was negative.. Vitamin C for the common cold. Vitamin C is a common ingredient in many cold and flu relief products and many people take vitamin C supplements to help fight colds. Despite huge advances in medicine to treat many conditions, the common cold still doesn’t have a cure. 29 trials involving 11,306 people were analysed. Taking vitamin C regularly had no effect on the numbers of most people getting colds. However, taking vitamin C supplements at the first sign of a cold had a modest but consistent effect in reducing the duration and severity of common cold symptoms. Photo Credit vitamins image by JJAVA from Fotolia.com. Defining a “cold” is difficult. Many symptoms of a cold, such as nasal congestion, fever, chills, sneezing, muscle ache and weakness are common symptoms of other conditions, like influenza, sinus infections and allergies. Technically, colds are caused by viruses, but bacteria, fungi and toxins can create similar symptoms.  For the book by Linus Pauling, see Vitamin C and the Common Cold (book) . The common cold is caused by several groups of viruses including rhinoviruses, coronaviruses and respiratory syncytial virus. Colds are the leading cause of doctor's visits and the number one reason for absences from work and school. In the 1970s, Linus Pauling argued that vitamin C could significantly decrease the incidence of the common cold, which spurred a widespread belief that consuming more vitamin C will reduce the risk of catching a cold and reduce its severity. Follow @TIMEHealth. Zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, old-fashioned chicken soup. Chances are you’ve probably tried all of these remedies to ward off symptoms of a cold, but scientists now say that you can cross at least one of them off your list.  Researchers have found that zinc is the best supplement for warding off colds, while Vitamin C is likely to be a waste of money. There are many different forms of hayfever, depending on which type of pollen the individual is sensitive to Photo: Alamy. By Sarah Knapton, Science Correspondent. Symptoms such as sore throat, stuffy or runny nose, cough and malaise are usually worse in days 1-3 and can last 7-10 days, sometimes as long as 3 weeks. Only about one in 20 colds are caused by bacteria, with the majority caused by a virus which cannot be treated with anti-biotics.
http://commonsensehome.com/the-best-vitamins-and-minerals-for-fighting-colds-and-flus/ http://commonsensehome.com/the-best-vitamins-and-minerals-for-fighting-colds-and-flus/ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/10/17/sun-exposure-vs-vitamin-d-supplements.aspx http://www.webmd.boots.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/vitamin-c-colds http://www.livestrong.com/article/275271-vitamins-to-prevent-colds/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vitamin_C_and_the_common_cold http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/03/trying-to-avoid-a-cold-skip-the-vitamin-d-supplements/ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/sarah-knapton/10600246/Zinc-not-Vitamin-C-is-best-for-fighting-colds.html
what vitamins are good for colds