What Are the Benefits of Zinc for the Cold Virus?

Although you probably think of of the common cold as a minor illness, it can significantly disrupt your life, preventing you from working effectively and generally having a negative effect on your well-being for several days to a week or more. Antibiotics are ineffective against a cold, which is caused by a virus, and most cold remedies only reduce symptoms without stopping the illness. But research indicates zinc-containing preparations can help reduce the severity of a cold and shorten its duration.