# Zicam is Evil Poison! DO NOT USE! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 6, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145 "2005-06-06T16:26:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Velma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/85e7bf/32.png) [@Velma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velma)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/41 "2005-06-07T19:09:57Z")
My dad lost his sense of smell (not to Zicam). I never thought about the shorter lifespan scenarios before. Glad yours has returned. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/42 "2005-06-09T19:03:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Still, if you are suffering from a cold, do make sure you aren’t \*deficient \*in either Zinc or vit C. This is bunkum. The odds of finding a zinc or vitamin C deficiency and tying this to cold susceptibility are about the same as the likelihood of contracting herpes from a toilet seat…ah, never mind. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/43 "2005-06-09T21:19:49Z")
There, there, **Jack**. You’re still fighting the good fight. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/44 "2005-06-10T00:37:50Z")
A kind thought, thanks. Incidentally, [Zicam](http://www.zicam.com/site/products/allergy_flash.html) has moved on for now from colds to allergies. Guess you gotta change with the seasons… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/45 "2005-06-10T20:30:40Z")
Well, I sent an email to just about everyone I know, warning them about Zicam and Cold-Eeze. I felt a little funny doing it, like I was propagating glurge or something, but the research does look like zinc gluconate is no friend to nasal tissue. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/46 "2005-06-10T21:13:37Z")
is it just the nasal spray thats dangerous. or is it their entire product line, they also make a throat spray the effeciacy of all zinc based cold remedies seems rather suspect to me… ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/47 "2005-06-11T00:30:37Z")
FWIW, I thought I’d lost my sense of smell permanently about a year ago. After about a month it returned, much to my relief. Anyway, my doctor said it _may_ have been related to my regular old nasal spray (just a decongestant) or to any nasal spray (including steriod allergy sprays) but that _any_ sinus condition can potentially cause this. I wouldn’t automatically blame the zinc spray. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145/48 "2005-06-11T03:15:30Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > I wouldn’t automatically blame the zinc spray. Of course there are other causes of loss of smell, but zinc nasal sprays are definitely at the top of the list. For a short while, I was studying neural traficking of pathogens, specifically travel from the nose to the brain via the olfactory nerve. To confirm this route of passage, we were going to instill zinc sulfate into mice noses to _destroy the olfactory nerve._ This technique has been used for many years to study the role of the sense of smell. Generally, the damage is transient and you need to continue zinc treatments to prevent repair of the nerve. However, occassionally, the effect is permanent. It doesn’t work if you just raise blood zinc levels, the zinc has to be instilled in the nose; it’s direct contact with the tissue, not blood levels. The upshot is I’m not using Zicam, regardless of how much my mother tells me too. I’m amazed that the researchers (or rather R&D folks) who came up with this stuff weren’t aware of the risks. And I’m surprised that any company would risk the lawsuits that could come from consumers who can no longer smell anything. Anyway, the lozenges and throat sprays are probably fine and I do use those when I remember. I’m glad to hear that you are on the upswing, **Stoid**. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/zicam-is-evil-poison-do-not-use/307145.md?page=2)