# you feel a cold coming on: what do you take?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [January 8, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474 "2013-01-08T13:34:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/81 "2013-01-11T19:49:09Z")

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Now I have read articles that claim varying amounts of Vitamin A in Airborne. Some say 5000 IU, so I’m not saying you made that up. The Airborne I have used is the effervescent tablet, so I’m just going to worry about that one, not the gummies or pixies or whatever they’ve added to their line.

Here’s what they say is in one orange flavored tablet:

> **[Airborne Immune Support Supplements | Schiff Vitamins](https://www.schiffvitamins.com/pages/airborne)**
>
> Are you looking to do more to support your immune system? Airborne offers essential vitamins & minerals to maintain your immune system. Discover how!

Supplement Facts  
Serving Size 1 Tablet  
Each Serving ContainsAmount Per Serving%DV  
Calories5  
Total Carbohydrates1 g \<1%\*  
Vitamin A (as Retinyl Palmitate)2000 IU40 %  
Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid)1000 mg1667 %  
Vitamin E (as dl-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate)30 IU100 %  
Riboflavin (as Riboflavin) 2.8 mg 165%  
Magnesium (as Oxide & Sulfate)40 mg10 %  
Zinc (as Sulfate)8 mg53 %  
Selenium (as Chelate)15 mcg21%  
Manganese (as Gluconate)3 mg150%  
Sodium (as Bicarbonate)230 mg10%  
Potassium (as Bicarbonate)75 mg2 %  
Herbal Extract Proprietary Blend350 mg \*\*Maltodextrin, Lonicera (flower), Forsythia (fruit), Schizonepeta (above-ground parts), Ginger (dried rhizome), Chinese Vitex (fruit), Isatis (root), Echinacea (above-ground parts)  
Amino Acids Blend50 mg \*\*Glutamine (as L-Glutamine), Lysine (as L-Lysine HCl)

- Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.\*\*Daily Value not established Other Ingredients: Sorbitol, Citric Acid, Natural and Artifical Orange Flavor, Mineral Oil, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose.Contains No Artificial Colors or Preservatives.

So you could actually take 5 in a day before reaching the limit. I believe they actually tell you to not to take more than three a day, but I don’t see it on their site anywhere, so not sure.

Perhaps they have modified their formula.

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**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/82 "2013-01-11T20:25:26Z")

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And, since I’ve made so many posts in a row now, what’s the harm in one more?

We see that Airborne was ordered to pay $23 million or so in a class action settlement back in 2008, and may think “whoa, that’s a lot, they sure got their ass handed to them,” but their profits greatly exceed that amount and the money was to be doled out to consumers jumping through hoops to get refunds for up to 6 boxes each. Who saves all these receipts? Each box contains ten tablets. If you haven’t figured out whether something works after 50 tries, will you really be able to successsfully address an envelope? It seems likely that they probably didn’t even have to pay out that amount anyway. They changed some claims and packaging art, admitted no wrong doing, and continued to sell the product as before.

It’s like if I got a speeding ticket and paid $100 to get no points on my license. I would just pay and carry on driving, not bother to fight it.

If the product was harming people, wouldn’t we expect measures that took it off the market? Wouldn’t they be fighting or agreeing to pay damages?

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**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/83 "2013-01-11T22:54:37Z")

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> [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](#):
>
> Cold-Ease, all the way. Works like a charm. And it never expires,

It may never expire, but it sure is hydrophilic. I always forget to seal it up tight enough, and the next time I need some they have a consistency somewhere closer to Jelly bean then Cough drop.

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**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\
**Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/84 "2013-01-11T22:57:14Z")

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a nap

A cold is a virus and taking vitamins is not going to do anything to a virus

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**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/85 "2013-01-12T12:05:40Z")

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My Doctor’s advice.

According to him, I am marginally low on a few things. His advice is to ramp up vitamin intake slightly during a cold or other illness (1 per day, rather than 3 per week). He says rather than worry about the details (which vitamin), any multivitamin and will do the trick.

I’m not a big drinker, but no wine with dinner during the cold. I think it actually makes me sleep worse.

My own “woo” is using the neti-pot occasionally, and sitting in the hot tub when I feel achy (it just makes me feel better).

Other than that, just rest and wait for it to pass.

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**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\
**Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/86 "2013-01-12T12:44:39Z")

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I take Halls Defense Sugar Free cough drops. They sooth my throat (though not as well as the mentholated drops), plus give me a boost of Vitamin C. And they taste good, which curbs my craving for afternoon chocolate.

> **[Walgreens: Pharmacy, Health & Wellness, Photo & More for You](https://www.walgreens.com/)**
>
> Your go-to for Pharmacy, Health & Wellness and Photo products. Refill prescriptions online, order items for delivery or store pickup, and create Photo Gifts.

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**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/87 "2013-01-14T03:07:30Z")

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Aw, stpauler, did I scare you away with all those words?

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**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/88 "2013-01-14T08:11:26Z")

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Salt, in the form of Neti pot, and Himalayan salt inhaler.

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**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/89 "2013-01-14T19:43:29Z")

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> [@stpauler](#):
>
> Extra fluids. Extra sleep.
> 
> Anything else seems like B.S.

NyQuil. De congests AND makes you really sleepy. Which is what you really need. Sleep…

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**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/90 "2013-01-15T05:56:03Z")

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“you feel a cold coming on: what do you take?”

I take a trip to the store and get tissue with lotion and enough soup for the duration.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2013, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-feel-a-cold-coming-on-what-do-you-take/646474/91 "2013-02-16T22:47:59Z")

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Extra fluids, hot soups, and NyQuil to clear the symptoms and help me get solid sleep.

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