Introduction
The application of Zinc for the treatment of colds has been a debatable subject over the years. Zinc is an essential mineral required for the proper functioning of the immune system. The data has shown that zinc supplementation can reduce the duration of adult acute viral infections of the respiratory tract, for instance, the common cold. Several research studies have been conducted to find out whether Zinc is suitable for treating the common cold.
A systematic review and meta-analysis carried out by Hunter et al. in 2021, which included randomized controlled trials, showed that zinc supplementation decreased the symptom duration by 33% compared to placebo. That being the case, Zinc would be very effective against the common cold. Besides, a study in 2020 by Wang et al. meta-analysis of 18 studies and 8,674 people showed that zinc supplementation reduced the expected cold duration by 1.5-2 days. Zinc levels are required to be regulated appropriately to avoid a decrease in immune responses.
Zinc supplements can be used for both the prevention and treatment of viral infections.
This paper will discuss using Zinc as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in shortening the duration of common cold symptoms. CAM has been used for several generations and by many cultures to promote health. Some forms of CAMs include herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage, home remedies, mind-body modalities, and much more.
Importance of Topic
The significance of this topic resides in the fact that the common cold is a widespread infection and discovering successful treatments is pivotal for enhancing patient results and lowering healthcare expenses. Zinc tablets or lozenges can be regarded as complementary and alternative medicine for the standard cold treatment. This study aims to add to the already existing knowledge on zinc supplementation and give directions for healthcare workers and patients on how to use it for the symptoms of colds.
Purpose of Paper
The study aims to assess the efficacy of zinc supplementation in the therapy of the common cold. We will evaluate research that has been put in journal articles to demonstrate Zinc and its possible contribution to shortening the duration of common cold symptoms. This paper aims to apply our critical thinking skills as nurses to determine if this alternative treatment is appropriate to promote shortening the duration of common cold symptoms.
Literature Review
Zinc is a mineral for which the possible benefits in the primary prevention and therapy of acute viral respiratory tract infections, such as the common cold, have been studied. Zinc is one of the core elements of the immune system and has a significant place in its functioning. It was found that zinc supplementation was found to be a substantial reduction in the duration of adult acute viral respiratory tract infections, according to the results of Hunter et al. (2021), who performed a speedy comprehensive review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. While zinc supplementation decreased the duration of symptoms by 33% compared to placebo, the latter showed no such effect. The analysis included 16 trials comprising 2,934 subjects.
Another study by Read et al. (2019) aimed at assessing the role of Zinc in the immune system’s ability to counter viral infections was performed. The article describes the mechanisms of how Zinc inhibits viruses. The Zinc-mediated blockade of viral replication and immune system response is incorporated into these systems. There are several ways of inhibiting the multiplication of viruses via Zinc. Moreover, they emphasized that zinc level control must be implemented in order to avoid immune system reduction; furthermore, zinc supplements as both prevention and treatment of viral infections were noted.
Indeed, Wang et al. (2020) performed a detailed evaluation of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) as to whether or not the symptoms of the common cold in healthy individuals are reduced by zinc supplementation. In the meta-analysis, the number of studies that were involved was eighteen, and they involved a total of 8,674 people. According to the results, the duration of the common cold was shortened by 1.5 to 2 days following oral zinc facilitation, which was given. On the contrary, the authors have insisted that the studies in the analysis revealed some characteristics that differed, and they called for more high-quality studies to replicate their results.
The study by Hemila et al. (2022) adopted a new technique referred to as quantile treatment effects to determine the impact of zinc lozenges on the duration of a common cold. The results yielded by Mossad’s investigation on zinc gluconate lozenges, which was carried out in 1996, were included in the study. Notwithstanding, the three datasets that consisted of zinc acetate lozenge trials were also included. Although zinc lozenges could have the possibility of compressing the duration of the cold generally, the results revealed that the advantages differed randomly with the length of the cold. Zinc lozenges brought about a significant reduction in the size of colds that lasted for a shorter period as compared to tablets alone, which ultimately resulted in a trivial decrease in the length of colds that lasted for a shorter period.
Discussion of Findings
The efficacy of such research is grounded in the analyses of these findings, which indicate that zinc lozenges or supplements may shorten the duration of the common cold. Zinc, an essential element that plays a role in the function of the immune system, also possesses antiviral qualities that can reduce the severity of symptoms. Both of them are critical for the immune system’s function. However, the studies’ quality is dissimilar from one to another; therefore, more such studies must be conducted to confirm these findings.
Another crucial part of the studies is that they use randomized controlled trials, a type of design highly regarded as the one that gives the most significant degree of certainty. Hunter et al. conducted a meta-analysis in 2021 which involved a large number of individuals. Research gave a detailed insight into the information that had been acquired in the past. Hemila et al. (2022) employed the upper tail of the quantile treatment effects, thus enabling the analysis of zinc lozenges’ impact on different cold lengths. Data collection was the way they achieved this aim.
Limitations of the studies are the variabilities in study design, dosages, and formulations of Zinc used. The methodological quality of the studies in the systematic reviews of interest is heterogeneous, and there needs to be more high-quality evidence in this area. Also, research hypothesizes that the length of colds is based on which hypotheses are found and that other items are excluded except severity and frequency.
Suppose zinc lozenges and zinc supplements are employed to treat the common cold. In that case, they may be bracketed into complementary and alternative medicine. As mentioned in the former statement, the literature review provides the pivotal data for this. Zinc, on the other hand, minimizes the duration of cold symptoms, indicating that it has a beneficial effect. Still, more studies are required to show that this is the fact and to determine the dosages and formulations that correlate to this effect. To zinc supplements, on the other hand, their responses are respective from one to the other and, to a large extent, depend on the health risk of individual zinc poisoning.
Conclusion
Zinc is a successful supplemental and alternative treatment for the common cold, as revealed by a shortening of symptoms. Zinc lozenges (or supplements) are efficacious interventions backed by current data. Still, more testing of the existing grade should be carried out before the conclusion, and the dosage and composition of the preparations should be investigated if they are enough. This is because cold deconvolution will be carried out with recommendations on the use of Zinc, which will be based on the studies that have been done to date and the specific requirements of each patient. Patients nowadays, those who are searching for non-pharmacologic pharmacotherapy as a relief for the symptoms of the common cold, can avail themselves of a multitude of treatment options that include Zinc due to the growing variety of alternative therapies like Zinc such as the Zinc that entered the clinic practice. This increases the range of options left to medical specialists.
References
Hemilä, H., Chalker, E., & Tukiainen, J. (2022). Quantile Treatment Effect of Zinc Lozenges on Common Cold Duration: A Novel Approach to Analyze the Effect of Treatment on Illness Duration. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2022.817522
Hunter, J., Arentz, S., Goldenberg, J., Yang, G., Beardsley, J., Myers, S. P., Mertz, D., & Leeder, S. (2021). Zinc for preventing or treating acute viral respiratory tract infections in adults: a rapid systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. BMJ Open, 11(11), e047474. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-047474
Read, S. A., Obeid, S., Ahlenstiel, C., & Ahlenstiel, G. (2019). The Role of Zinc in Antiviral Immunity. Advances in Nutrition, 10(4), 696–710. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmz013
Wang, M. X., Win, S. S., & Pang, J. (2020). Zinc Supplementation Reduces Common Cold Duration among Healthy Adults: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials with Micronutrients Supplementation. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 103(1). https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.19-0718
write