Which vitamin is most effective and best at preventing colds, according to Harvard study

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Congestion and runny nose, sneezing, coughing, itching and headache, general malaise and a fever of a few tenths of a degree.In fact, we’re talking about troubling symptoms common coldIt is a respiratory viral infection that is very common in people, often even recurring in the middle of winter. Sound familiar to you?

Since we are sure that you have had to deal with its effects more than once, you will be very familiar with the many treatments designed to relieve symptoms: analgesics, antitussives, mucolytics, expectors, vasoconstrictors and antihistamines Medicine is part of it and we’d love to make the process a little more bearable, but what? Food and Supplements And micronutrients like vitamins? What role can they play in preventing or improving conditions?

Well, let’s start by talking about vitamin C, which historically has been considered a form of vitamin C. A powerful ally against the common cold. It is found in high concentrations in many fresh fruits and vegetables, and is also present in most multivitamins, and as a single ingredient supplement, it is necessary to incorporate it into the body as it is involved in many important functions related to metabolism or the immune system .

“In large population studies, people who consume Many fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C There appears to be a lower risk of several cancers, such as cancer of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, and lung. But it’s unclear whether these benefits come specifically from vitamin C,” explained Dr. Robert H. Shmerling of Harvard Medical School.

“Similarly,” he continued, “many people take unnecessarily high-dose vitamin C supplements to prevent or treat a variety of diseases whose effectiveness has not been proven. Vitamin C supplements have been promoted for the prevention of cardiovascular disease and Osteoarthritis, prevent sunburn and improve skin appearance. None of these so-called benefits “This has been confirmed by scientific research.”

Regardless, as the Harvard expert assures, vitamin C’s best-known use is in preventing or treating the common cold. “Most evidence shows that high doses of vitamin C shorten the duration of a cold by at most one day. Under normal circumstances, vitamin C does not appear to have any preventive value, although some studies report that people who take vitamin C have a reduced risk of colds 50% extreme caseFor example, skiers, marathon runners, and soldiers working in subarctic conditions,” said Dr. Robert H. Shmerling.

From this point of view, Vitamin Cfound in foods such as guava, strawberries, citrus fruits, broccoli, mango, tomatoes, peppers, or kale, can help shorten symptoms in the best cases, but it’s unclear whether it has a preventive effect Effective against the common cold.

Other essential vitamins

However, Harvard also responded to an observational study published in the journal Science. BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health This provides some clues as to the role of other vitamins. Researchers analyzed dietary information provided by more than 6,000 British adults over eight years. Those who got the most vitamins A and E from diet and supplements, and those who got the most vitamin D from supplements alone, had lower rates of respiratory illnesses such as colds, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Obviously, this study doesn’t prove that these vitamins prevent respiratory illness, but other research shared by Harvard shows that they may reduce the risk of respiratory illness. Of course, it’s obvious that vitamins are most effective when taken through food, in which case liver, whole milk, cheese, carrots and green leafy vegetables are good sources. Vitamin A

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Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds available Vitamin Eand obtaining sufficient information is difficult, if not impossible Vitamin D Food, although there are some options such as fatty fish, sardines, egg yolks, mushrooms and some fortified products such as milk. In this sense, additional measures are recommended depending on each individual situation.

In short, there’s no way to tell whether taking vitamins A, C, D or E through diet or nutritional supplements can prevent the onset of the pesky common cold.It seems Can help relieve symptoms It is less durable and does not have any healing powers under any circumstances. Indeed, the healthier our lifestyles and habits, including physical activity, the better we are able to cope with colds. But you have to go through it.