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ARLINGTON, VA. — Despite the lack of evidence that over-the-counter cold medicines cure the common cold, nearly two-thirds of American adults choose them to treat symptoms, according to survey results from 1,005 individuals aged 18 and older.
The findings suggest that physicians should continue to educate patients about the limits of nonproven OTC medications and natural remedies for cold prevention and treatment, wrote Dr. Mark Moyad and his colleagues in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition.
However, Americans appear to be getting the message about hand hygiene. Overall, 72% of the survey respondents reported frequent handwashing as a first line of defense against cold prevention. Other prevention methods included taking multivitamins (48%), getting plenty of rest (41%), and taking vitamin C supplements (36%).
Once they had developed a cold, 79% of the survey respondents reported drinking lots of fluids, 71% reported getting plenty of rest, and 68% reported using OTC medications.
Data for this study were culled from a nationwide sample of respondents to an online survey conducted as part of a larger research project on the common cold in America that was commissioned by U.S. Nutrition and conducted by Booth Research Services Inc. of Atlanta. Dr. Moyad, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, is on the advisory board of Zila Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the vitamin C supplement Ester-C.
ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS
ARLINGTON, VA. — Despite the lack of evidence that over-the-counter cold medicines cure the common cold, nearly two-thirds of American adults choose them to treat symptoms, according to survey results from 1,005 individuals aged 18 and older.
The findings suggest that physicians should continue to educate patients about the limits of nonproven OTC medications and natural remedies for cold prevention and treatment, wrote Dr. Mark Moyad and his colleagues in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition.
However, Americans appear to be getting the message about hand hygiene. Overall, 72% of the survey respondents reported frequent handwashing as a first line of defense against cold prevention. Other prevention methods included taking multivitamins (48%), getting plenty of rest (41%), and taking vitamin C supplements (36%).
Once they had developed a cold, 79% of the survey respondents reported drinking lots of fluids, 71% reported getting plenty of rest, and 68% reported using OTC medications.
Data for this study were culled from a nationwide sample of respondents to an online survey conducted as part of a larger research project on the common cold in America that was commissioned by U.S. Nutrition and conducted by Booth Research Services Inc. of Atlanta. Dr. Moyad, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, is on the advisory board of Zila Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the vitamin C supplement Ester-C.
ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS
ARLINGTON, VA. — Despite the lack of evidence that over-the-counter cold medicines cure the common cold, nearly two-thirds of American adults choose them to treat symptoms, according to survey results from 1,005 individuals aged 18 and older.
The findings suggest that physicians should continue to educate patients about the limits of nonproven OTC medications and natural remedies for cold prevention and treatment, wrote Dr. Mark Moyad and his colleagues in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Nutrition.
However, Americans appear to be getting the message about hand hygiene. Overall, 72% of the survey respondents reported frequent handwashing as a first line of defense against cold prevention. Other prevention methods included taking multivitamins (48%), getting plenty of rest (41%), and taking vitamin C supplements (36%).
Once they had developed a cold, 79% of the survey respondents reported drinking lots of fluids, 71% reported getting plenty of rest, and 68% reported using OTC medications.
Data for this study were culled from a nationwide sample of respondents to an online survey conducted as part of a larger research project on the common cold in America that was commissioned by U.S. Nutrition and conducted by Booth Research Services Inc. of Atlanta. Dr. Moyad, of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, is on the advisory board of Zila Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of the vitamin C supplement Ester-C.
ELSEVIER GLOBAL MEDICAL NEWS