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Nasal Zinc? ZiCam Warning
Zicam Cold Remedy is a zinc solution that is sprayed into the nose for people suffering from colds. The makers claim that it helps shorten the duration and severity of a cold. While zinc may be effective in some cases (a zinc pill on the first couple days of a cold seems to work well for me), the use of nasal zinc has raised some concerns about impairment of smell or taste. According to the latest Consumer Reports (Jan. 2007, p. 47), there are reports that the product has caused people to suffer some degree of impairment in their sense of smell or taste. Some allege that they have become permanently impaired. Personally, I don't think the delicate olfactory system in the nose was designed to sustain zinc treatment and worry about the use of this remedy. Further testing is needed, so if you're a happy user, don't switch because of my concerns. But you can take zinc orally if you need it. Consumer Reports recommends keeping it below 40mg a day.
Several hundred people have sued Matrixx Initiatives, the manufacturer of Zicam.