Well, it’s happened again. An old SD article was reprinted that really should have been updated first. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1258/can-zinc-lozenges-cure-the-common-cold Long story short, in 1998 William Hathaway asks if Zinc Lozenges actually work, Cecil says nope they are just placebos, just you wait and see. Flash forward to 2014 and… nothing. We waited, and we didn’t see.
The end of the article says
Okay, Cecil. It’s been over sixteen years since you made the bet. Did you win the bet? Did you lose the bet? We are left hanging here. sigh
This is one of my pet peeves about reprinting old articles. Call me crazy, but I say if you write an article where you make a prediction, or if you say something like “The jury is still out on this one but things will become clearer when more evidence comes in” the you shouldn’t reprint the article without tacking on an update! Tell us if your prediction came true. Tell us what evidence came to light. Tell us what evidence failed to appear. Then we can actually fight some ignorance instead of just being nostalgic for how ignorant we were 20 years ago and still are today.
Actually, Cecil doesn’t say that in the linked article, just that evidence for zinc’s value against colds is conflicting and not well-established.
Oral zinc has gotten somewhat more respectable since then, thanks in large part to a comprehensive Cochrane review of prior studies, which concluded that taken early enough after symptoms develop, zinc could shorten the duration of a cold by an average of a day, and have some prophylactic value in children against colds. The issue is far from settled though:
"Given the variability in the populations studied (no studies from low- or middle-income countries), dose, formulation and duration of zinc used in the included studies, more research is needed to address these variabilities and determine the optimal duration of treatment as well as the dosage and formulations of zinc that will produce clinical benefits without increasing adverse effects, before making a general recommendation for zinc in treatment of the common cold.”
The re-running of old columns is not revised or reviewed (except casually), they’re reprinted as “classics.” We just don’t have enough staff to revise and update 'em, and I appreciate and share your frustration. So, thanks for calling this one to our attention. When something like this comes up, we’re grateful if anyone does know of new info (thanks, Jackmannii) … and I’ll put it in front of Cecil to see if he thinks it’s worth an update.
I don’t think that’s a fair expectation. Given the manpower issues Dex mentions, the options are either “reprint the articles with outdated information” or “don’t reprint the articles at all”. Would you really rather the latter?
Powers &8^]
There’s been a lot of talk about taking zinc for colds ever since a 1984 study showed that zinc supplements kept people from getting as sick. Since then, research has turned up mixed results about zinc and colds.
Recently an analysis of several studies showed that zinc lozenges or syrup reduced the length of a cold by one day. It also showed that taking zinc regularly might reduce the number of colds each year, the number of missed school days and the amount of antibiotics required in otherwise healthy children…
But the recent analysis stopped short of recommending zinc.
Recent research suggests that some echinacea supplements may shorten the duration of a cold by about half a day and may slightly reduce symptom severity. But these results were too minor to be deemed significant.
In the past, some studies have found echinacea to be helpful while other studies have found no benefit.
Vitamin C has several benefits, including a modest effect combating the common cold.
When I have a cold or the flu I take zinc lozenges, vitamin C supplements, and Chinese herbal medicine.
Well, first there’s the re-write (Cecil’s task) and then there’s the fact-checking (which requires staff, needed to review every fact/implication in the old column to see which ones hold and which ones require updating) and then there’s Ed as final editor who has, indeed, been busy with lots of things. The amount of fact-checking (staff time) that goes into a column would blow your lozenges away.
I have drunk about a litre of fresh fruit smoothies every day for years but still got colds two or three times a year. Then I read an article somewhere about zinc and the common cold. I started taking one 15g tablet a day three years ago and have not had a cold since.
Yes I am It’s gratifying to know that my comments didn’t go unnoticed. Now if I could just get the Pope to reply to my weekly letters regarding flavor suggestions for communion wafers…
Perhaps I’ve been using the wrong color of crayon. :dubious:
It’s gratifying to know that my comments didn’t go unnoticed. Now if I could just get the Pope to reply to my weekly letters regarding flavor suggestions for communion wafers…