Article Text

Download PDFPDF
A trial of ascorbic acid in the treatment of the common cold.
  1. D A Tyrrell,
  2. J W Craig,
  3. T W Meada,
  4. T White

    Abstract

    A randomised controlled trial was carried out to study the effect of 10 g of ascorbic acid taken during the first 2 1/2 days on the symptoms of the common cold. Altogether 1524 volunteers were recruited from a number of working groups in different parts of the country; 482 developed colds. There was no evidence that upper respiratory or general constitutional symptoms were alleviated by ascorbic acid. Among the men who had any colds at all, significantly fewer on active than on placebo treatment had two or more colds; however, this effect was not seen in women. Ascorbic acid is of no value in the treatment of the common cold; its preventive effect, if any, is not such as to justify advising its general use as a prophylactic measure.

    Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.