# What is the latest on vitamin C and cold? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269 "2008-02-26T19:49:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/1 "2008-02-26T19:49:46Z")
[Here](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_412a.html) is a 1985 Cecil column on Vitamin C and colds. What is the most recent information on vitamin c and preventing colds? [Cecil](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_278.html) also wrote this 1978 column on the same subject. I put this in GQ rather than COCC since the columns were so old. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/2 "2008-02-26T20:04:55Z")
[http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7590](http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7590) > **[BBC NEWS | Health | Vitamin C 'does not stop colds'](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6901405.stm)** > > Taking daily vitamin C will not prevent colds, and will only reduce their duration very slightly, scientists say. [http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020168&ct=1](http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020168&ct=1) > **[Can Vitamin C Cure Your Cold?](https://www.newsweek.com/can-vitamin-c-cure-your-cold-97139)** > > When the sniffles strike, many of us reach for a glass of orange juice or a vitamin C supplement. But are they really effective? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/3 "2008-02-27T01:34:16Z")
Sigh. **Gfactor’s** links basically say “no”, it hasn’t been shown to help. It won’t harm you, but it probably doesn’t help too much. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/4 "2008-02-27T15:41:56Z")
When Linus Pauling first came out with the theory that Vit C prevented colds, I said, “what the hell, why not try it?” I normally take about 200 mg/day, but now and then when begin to get sniffles, or scratchy throat, load up to 1000 mg for two or three days. I have not had a cold in more than 40 years. I don’t care whether it is physiological or psychological, for me it works. Cheap insurance. I did have flu twice during that period, but nobody every claimed it work for that. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/5 "2008-02-27T20:02:51Z")
I would like to see the actual study. The articles hint that it actually does work for people under physical stress. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/6 "2008-02-27T20:19:20Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] I would like to see the actual study. The articles hint that it actually does work for people under physical stress. [/QUOTE] I posted it before. Here it is again: [http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020168&ct=1](http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020168&ct=1) ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/7 "2008-02-28T08:43:37Z")
Oh thanks. The one link of the 4 I didn’t click… ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/8 "2008-02-28T13:51:14Z")
[QUOTE=KlondikeGeoff] I normally take about 200 mg/day, but now and then when begin to get sniffles, or scratchy throat, load up to 1000 mg for two or three days. I have not had a cold in more than 40 years. [/QUOTE] This doesn’t mean squat unless you stop taking any for the next 40 years and see how many colds you have in that period. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2008, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/9 "2008-02-28T23:27:25Z")
[QUOTE=Peak Banana] This doesn’t mean squat unless you stop taking any for the next 40 years and see how many colds you have in that period. [/QUOTE] Which would still be irrelevant because the periods of time are not identical, nor is the **KlondikeGeoff** of the next 40 years the same as the one of the last 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 29, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-latest-on-vitamin-c-and-cold/439269/10 "2008-02-29T02:31:32Z")
There are _some_ studies that say moderate doses of Vit C sometimes reduce the length and severity of symptoms, in some dudes. It can’t hurt to take a moderate dose of it.