Try something besides Airborne for cold prevention

Now that the cold and flu season is upon us, many people will be reaching for Airborne, the over-the-counter supplement that has claimed to prevent and cure viral infections.

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Washing your hands frequently, exercising at least four days a week and getting plenty of sleep may help you avoid getting a cold or flu, so that you don’t have to choose from medication like Airborne.

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Before you spend your hard-earned cash on Airborne, consider the following. In March, the manufacturers of Airborne agreed, as part of a class-action lawsuit, to refund more than $23 million to consumers who had purchased the product in the past.

Why is this?

While Airborne has made claims about its ability to prevent and treat colds and other viral infections, as well as boost immunity, no data back up these boasts.

Airborne was introduced to the U.S. market in 1999, and persuasive marketing led to huge sales, though the product was never rigorously tested for effectiveness.

The class-action lawsuit came in 2006. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission started investigating the company’s claims.

Airborne is really nothing more than a few vitamins and minerals dressed up with glutamine, lysine and a proprietary blend of herbs. (“Proprietary” means the manufacturer doesn’t tell you exactly what doses are in it).

What’s more, each tablet of Airborne contains 5,000 international units of pre-formed vitamin A. The current recommended dietary allowance for vitamin A is only 2,333 IU. At higher daily levels, vitamin A can promote osteoporosis.

So if you’re looking for ways to prevent colds and flu, consider these helpful recommendations:

—Wash your hands frequently or, better yet, use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.

—Exercise at least four days a week. Regular moderate exercise boosts your immune system and helps to prevent infections. Intense exercise, on the other hand, can suppress your immune system and increase your risk of infection.

—Get plenty of sleep. The average adult needs seven to eight hours per night.

—Lighten up and laugh. Laughter seems to enhance immunity while stress dampens it.

—Recent data suggest that vitamin D is important for immune system function. Be sure to take 800 to 1,000 units per day. (Some people may need more, but check with your doctor first.)

—Gargle! A study published in 2005 showed that the simple act of gargling with plain water at least three times a day not only reduced the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections by 36 percent but also reduced symptoms in people who did get a cold.

If, in spite of your best efforts at prevention, you find yourself coming down with a cold or the flu, here are a few other things that may help:

—The herbs echinacea and astragalus may each help to reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold, though the data are mixed. Try just one at a time and go for a standardized product whenever possible.

—Take vitamin C; 250 to 500 milligrams twice daily may reduce the duration of symptoms by a day or less. The herb elderberry, sold as Sambucol, may help to reduce the symptoms of influenza.

And of course, if you have any persistent or worrisome symptoms, be sure to check in with your doctor.

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(Drs. Kay Judge and Maxine Barish-Wreden are medical directors of Sutter’s Downtown Integrative Medicine program.