Vitamin C And The Common Cold: A Double-blind Trial
| Effect | Decrease |
| Values | Days confined to house. Mean and SE. Placebo: 1.87 (0.138) Vitamin C: 1.30 (01.01) |
| Trial Design | Randomized trial |
| Trial Length | 1-6 months |
| Number of Subjects | 1000 |
| Sex | Both Genders |
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 1000 people who normally experienced at least one cold during cold season were given 1000 mg of vitamin C daily until the first infection and 4000 for the first 3 days. The treatment lasted for 3 or four months
818 were able to be analyzed due to completing at least two months. The primary outcomes were cold frequency and duration, and there were fewer colds in the vitamin C group, but the difference wasn't statistically significant, and a shorter duration of symptoms, but this also wasn't statistically significant. The reduction in days confined to one's house was significantly lower in the vitamin C group, however. There were somewhat fewer episodes of nose and throat symptoms in the vitamin C group but not other respiratory or non-respiratory symptoms, and the duration was lower.
