Health Care : Current Reviews

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical evaluation of an oral supplement (Cold-EEZE® Zinc Gluconate Glycine Lozenge) administered daily as a prophylactic for the common cold

6^th Global Healthcare, Nutritionists & Dietician Annual Conference

December 05-07, 2016 Philadelphia, USA

Stephen Schwartz

International Research Services, Inc. Port Chester NY USA

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Health Care: Current Reviews

Abstract:

Statement of the Problem: The common cold occurs in varying severity and results in 75 million physician visits in the Unites States alone each year, with an incidence of over one billion. Evidence suggests that zinc ions help promote the production of adhesion molecules which block surface receptors located in the upper respiratory tract and thereby interrupt human rhinovirus HRV infection. Although recommendations for therapeutic options using zinc gluconate have remained limited to treating cold symptoms, prophylactic measures to limit and /or delay symptomology have not been thoroughly studied. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: This was a 90-day, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind clinical evaluation of an oral supplement (Cold-EEZE® Zinc Gluconate Glycine Lozenge) in a panel of approximately 90 females and males. Test products were taken for 90 days. Assessments included symptom and resource utilization tracking and subjective questionnaires. Findings: Significantly fewer subjects who received daily Cold EEZE therapy exhibited multiple colds during the course of the study (8.3%) compared to those receiving daily placebo (product B), (36.3%, p=0.0321). Additionally these subjects showed fewer symptoms and less severe symptoms per cold event than those receiving placebo product (p<0.001). The average cold duration was also significantly less in the active product compared to placebo (p=0.019). The overall incidence of the development of any cold was not different between groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to determine if the use of Cold EEZE therapy delayed the onset of the first cold of the season. Data indicate that those treated with the active Cold- EEZE product had a mean survival time (i.e. time to first cold symptoms) of 73.51 days with standard error (SE) of 3.02 days while those treated with placebo had a mean survival time, days to first cold, of 52.09 days with a standard error of 5.96. This difference was shown to be significant at the p=0.041 level. Conclusion & Significance: Consuming two Cold-EEZE Zinc Gluconate Glycine lozenges, daily during the cold season, was effective in significantly delaying the onset of the common cold. Furthermore, when a cold did develop, the duration and severity of symptoms were reduced significantly.

Biography :

Stephen Schwartz has his expertise in evaluation and support of consumer products. He has built a laboratory after years of experience in research, evaluation, both dermo-cosmetics and nutritional supplements.

Email: sschwartz@irsi.org