This investigation is proposed in order to determine if a decrease in the duration and severity of the common cold with the co-administration of zinc gluconate-glycine lozenges and vitamin C can be demonstrated. A recent study indicated that zinc gluconate-glycine lozenges (13.3 mg zinc) when taken every two hours while awake significantly reduced the duration of symptoms of the common cold. However, zinc has the tendency to cause Gi side effects, most notably nausea. Furthermore, Vitamin C has consistently been shown to decrease the duration of cold episodes and the severity of the symptoms of the common cold. It would be expected that combining these agents will cause a decrease in the duraion and severity of the common cold, possibly allowing the use of a lower total daily dose of zinc, thus decreasing the propensity of zinc to cause nausea. In order to investigate this possibility, six groups of forty patients will be tested at the onset of cold symptoms. The colds studied will be community-acquired, wild-type colds and the results will therefore be applicable to colds, in that class. Group 00 will take zinc placebo lozenges every three hours while awake, and vitamin C placebo twice daily. Group 01 will take 9 mg zinc gluconate - glycine lozenges every three hours while awake and viatmin C placebo twice daily. Group 02 will take 13.3 mg zinc gluconate - glycine lozenges every three hours and vitamin C placebo twice daily. Group 10 will take zinc placebo lozenges and Vitamin C. Group 11 will take 9 mg zinc gluconate - glycine lozenges every three hours and vitamin C twice daily. Group 12 will take 13.3 mg zinc gluconate - glycine lozenges every three hours and viatmin C twice daily. Each group will record daily symptom scores throughout their cold, and return to the clinic when the cold episode has ended. The mean number of days that the cold lasted will be compared b y group in order to test the effect of treatment on duration. The mean symptom scores , both individually and as a total score, will be compared to determine the effect of the treatments on the severity of the cold episode.
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