Zinc and hand washing prevent flu

A new review finds that some methods seem to work better than others, namely hand washing and zinc supplements for prevention of a cold, and decongestants and pain relievers for treatment, Newsmax Health reports.

For preventing colds, frequent hand washing came out on top, said study leader Dr. Michael Allan, director of evidence-based medicine in family medicine at the University of Alberta, in Canada.

Besides hand washing, daily zinc supplements appeared to help kids avoid colds, some research found, and Allan said it would probably work for adults.

"It wouldn't be something I'd recommend on a regular basis," he said. Zinc use can lead to nausea and has an unpleasant taste, he noted.

For the study, Allan's team reviewed hundreds of published studies looking at the best ways to prevent and treat colds. The review is published in the Jan. 27 issue of CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Some evidence also suggests that probiotics -- the "good bacteria" found in some yogurts and elsewhere -- helped prevent colds. 

For the treatment of colds, antihistamines by themselves didn't help. But they did help somewhat when used in combination with decongestants, pain relievers or both -- but only in children over age 5 and adults.

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