ITV's Dr Amir Khan shares 5p vitamin to end cold ‘2 and a quarter days earlier’
ITV's Dr Amir Khan shares 5p vitamin to end cold ‘2 and a quarter days earlier’
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Zinc could be a surprising lifeline for Brits battling illness this winter. Dr Amir Khan, appearing on Lorraine this week, shared tips on how to recover from a cold more quickly. As the winter chill persists, illnesses such as colds and flu are rampant. These seasonal ailments can disrupt plans for weeks as people recuperate and isolate to prevent spreading the virus.
However, according to the doctor, taking a zinc supplement could hasten recovery by approximately two days. During his chat with Christine Lampard on the ITV programme, Dr Khan advised: "If you've got a cold, take zinc. It can reduce the length of your cold by two and a quarter days.".
He later clarified on Instagram that this advice is based on starting the supplement as soon as cold symptoms appear. Christine humorously noted the "specific nature" of Dr Khan’s claim, which is actually based on a recent study published in the Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
The same research indicated that vitamin C could shorten a cold's duration, but only if the supplement was taken prior to falling ill, as it wouldn’t be as effective once symptoms begin. Zinc is naturally present in foods such as seafood, dairy, eggs, and red meats.
Supplements are also readily available on the high street, for instance, Boots sells 15mg Zinc supplements at £8.20 for a bottle of 180 tablets. The expert further advised: "Everyone should be taking vitamin D in the winter months to keep your immune system nice and healthy.".
In addition to these supplements, the doctor emphasised that the most effective way to minimise the duration of illness this winter is to prevent getting sick in the first place. He advised: "Hand hygiene is really important because the main way these cold viruses spread is through droplets that can get onto your hand and into your airway. Keep your surfaces clean as well.".
