Something to 'zinc' about during cold season

[Bobby J]

So its an essential mineral and a heavy metal?

 

[Miss Kitty]

Y'all have gone all wikiwonky.

 

[Matt J]

So its an essential mineral and a heavy metal?

Apparently, I'll stick with my Vitamin C.

 

[NotDeadYet]

Some googling found this simplified explanation for you, Bobby:

"A metal is an element found on the left side of the periodic table.[left of the zig-zag line separating the metals and nonmetals]
A mineral is a compound or an ore, how the metal is found in nature. Most metals (exceptions are gold, silver, copper) are found as compounds because they are active."

Like many natural substances, the right amount is essential to the body, too much has adverse effects.

 

[Camellia]

I suppose you are all familiar with the Zicam fiasco. Someone I know wrote a book about losing her sense of smell after using Zicam. I used to swear by the stuff - but admit that sucking on zinc lozenges and snorting zinc gel used to cause temporary taste loss.

 

[Bobby J]

I think I will stick with a few pumpkin seeds.

 

[Jesus]

I suppose you are all familiar with the Zicam fiasco. Someone I know wrote a book about losing her sense of smell after using Zicam. I used to swear by the stuff - but admit that sucking on zinc lozenges and snorting zinc gel used to cause temporary taste loss.

Z.I.C.A.M.. The C.A.M. stands for complementary alternative medicine. Stay away from it. The Z. I. stands for zinc. It's an essential mineral. It's also toxic. So is water. You shouldn't snort zinc, and you shouldn't snort water, but try living the rest of your life without either.

 

[30A Skunkape]

For the Health of It staff has known this for years, as many other health food industry people. Why did it take this long for the gov't to buy in to what they have known?

Like many people, the staff there may have suspected that zinc had a benefit, however that was based on anecdotal evidence (the weakest possible evidence, essentially testimonials) or studies much smaller than the one I have cited. I suspect echinacea is still readily peddled as an effective cold remedy at most health food stores even though there are no good studies to support the practice.

 

[Smiling JOe]

If there was something simple like old remedies, to cure the common cold, why wouldn't there be more testing long ago to help find cures? Why do you think the gov't only recently did a study on zinc?

 

[scooterbug44]

If there was something simple like old remedies, to cure the common cold, why wouldn't there be more testing long ago to help find cures? Why do you think the gov't only recently did a study on zinc?

Because people were losing their sense of smell and taste abusing zinc based products. :roll: