From Newsmax:
Many people pop a zinc supplement at the first sign of a cold, and there’s new evidence supporting the habit.
Australian researchers found that the supplements appear to help shorten respiratory tract infections, such as colds, flu, sinusitis, and pneumonia. Many over-the-counter cold and cough remedies offer only “marginal benefits,” the researchers noted, making “zinc a viable ‘natural’ alternative for the self-management of non-specific [respiratory tract infections].”