Zinc is a critically important element for our body's normal functioning. Our daily requirement is about 10mg which we can get through a normal, moderate diet (see post --normal moderate diet). There is some evidence that some extra zinc actually helps the immune system. The question is how much extra zinc and for how long?
An extra 10 or 20mg a day for a few days probably will help your immune system to fight off the common cold. Data suggests that the severity and length of a cold will be significantly decreased by this amount of extra zinc.
More importantly, there is also very good evidence that greater amounts of zinc-- above a total daily amount of 30mg will harm your immune system. Furthermore, taking the extra zinc for more than 3 days will also hurt your immune system.
Bottom line--when you feel a cold coming on or during a cold you can take an extra 10 or 20mg zinc for 2-3 days which may shorten your cold and lessen the symptoms. Taking greater amounts of zinc or for longer times will harm your immune system and could cause you great damage.
seems my last post didn't work. Bottom line - thank you. Ive been taking 15 mg zinc which is not so bad, but recently advised to add to more supplents - one contains 10 mg zinc and the other 20 mg zinc. So I see that is too much. Thanks for saving me from a potential problem
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