Buzz
Ah, autumn. It’s that time of year when we send our children off to school with brand-new backpacks, only for them to return with the inevitable: the first wave of seasonal colds. In our household, with a two-year-old who loves sharing his drool and a six-year-old still mastering the art of handwashing, germs spread faster than laughter, and it’s only a matter of time before everyone is sniffling.
Unsurprisingly, the back-to-school season also brings a surge in recommendations for boosting kids’ immunity through supplements. Wellness influencers tout their go-to supplement routines, claiming they keep their children illness-free all winter. At my daughter’s school open house, the PTA distributed free samples of elderberry gummies, marketed as “tasty immune support for the whole family.” Even my toddler’s daycare provider suggested giving him a high dose of vitamin C to fend off the seasonal colds.
When I evaluate these supplement options, I approach them with a healthy dose of skepticism. The supplement industry is notoriously underregulated and has a track record of safety issues. The FDA doesn’t assess supplements for safety or effectiveness—or even verify their ingredients—before they hit the shelves. Typically, the FDA only steps in after receiving reports of adverse effects, and even then, they must prove a product is unsafe to pull it from the market. Essentially, using supplements means enrolling ourselves—and our kids—in a poorly monitored, uncontrolled experiment with no clear data collection process.
As a parent, I’m still haunted by the recent recall of Hyland’s teething tablets, which were found to contain inconsistent and potentially toxic levels of belladonna, also known as deadly nightshade. The FDA received reports of hundreds of seizures and even infant deaths linked to the tablets, despite many parents trusting the product and the brand. (Hyland’s teething tablets were categorized as homeopathic remedies, which face similar regulatory gaps as supplements.)
Many supplements are backed by one or more studies showing potential benefits, but it’s crucial to scrutinize the research for study design, dosage, and preparation. For instance, while there are numerous studies on Echinacea and elderberry’s effects on isolated cells in labs, the real question is whether these are safe and effective in humans. Before giving any supplement to my children, I need evidence that it has been tested on kids, as their developing bodies may metabolize it differently than adults.
Another consideration is that herbal and botanical supplements often contain multiple compounds with medicinal properties, and their extraction and preparation methods can vary widely. Adding to the complexity, many companies use proprietary blends with multiple ingredients, making it difficult to determine if the product matches what was studied.
Vitamin and mineral supplements might appear simpler, but don’t assume they’re safe just because they’re based on nutrients. These supplements often contain doses far exceeding those found in food, which can lead to unexpected risks. For example, a recent study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology found that men taking high doses of vitamin B6 and B12 supplements—often marketed for energy—were nearly twice as likely to develop lung cancer.
To put it simply, I require strong evidence of both safety and efficacy before considering a supplement for my kids or myself. That said, the idea of fewer runny noses this fall is tempting, so I decided to explore several supplements claiming to prevent the common cold.
Elderberry (and Other Parts of the European Elder Tree)
Let’s begin with those elderberry gummies, as my kids are still eagerly waiting to find out if they can have them. A few small studies on humans have explored the impact of elderberry supplements on flu and the common cold, suggesting they might reduce the duration of illness. However, these studies were conducted on adults, and I couldn’t locate any data specifically for children. (A 1995 study treated 15 flu patients aged 5 to 50 with elderberry syrup, but the sample size was too small, and the paper didn’t specify how many were kids.) On safety, the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) warns that improperly prepared elderberry products, including leaves, stems, and unripe berries, can cause nausea, vomiting, and severe diarrhea. That sounds worse than a cold, so I’ll skip it and opt for regular gummy bears instead.
Echinacea
A 2003 randomized controlled trial published in JAMA involved 524 children who were given either Echinacea extract or a placebo at the onset of cold symptoms. The study found no difference in the duration or severity of cold symptoms between the two groups, but children taking Echinacea were more likely to develop a rash. While rashes can accompany viral infections, the higher incidence in the Echinacea group (7.1 percent versus 2.4 percent in the placebo group) suggests it might have been a reaction to the herb. A 2014 Cochrane review, which included this study and others primarily involving adults, also found no evidence that Echinacea benefits cold sufferers.
Garlic
Cochrane researchers also examined garlic but only identified one high-quality study. Published in 2001 in Advances in Natural Therapy, this randomized controlled trial had one group take a daily garlic supplement (equivalent to 10 cloves) and another take a placebo for 12 weeks. The garlic group experienced fewer colds and shorter illness durations. While the results are intriguing, the study’s author was the director of the Garlic Centre in the U.K. and is now selling garlic supplements online. The BBC referred to him as a “garlic enthusiast.” Although the study claimed to be double-blind, participants reported smelly burps as a common side effect, potentially revealing who was taking garlic.
There are too many concerns here, and no follow-up studies have attempted to replicate these findings. The Cochrane review concludes there’s insufficient evidence to recommend garlic for cold prevention, and I share that view.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C has been a go-to cold remedy for years. As a child, my mom had me take large, sour-tasting pills at the first sign of a cold. Today, high-dose vitamin C comes in more appealing forms like Emergen-C and Airborne, but none have proven particularly effective. A 2013 Cochrane review analyzed 29 studies involving over 11,000 participants and found that vitamin C doesn’t lower the risk of catching a cold. The exception was extreme athletes—marathon runners, skiers, and soldiers training in freezing conditions—who saw their cold risk drop by about half with vitamin C.
Vitamin C does offer a small, consistent benefit in reducing the duration of cold symptoms. It shortens colds by 8 percent in adults and 14 percent in children, potentially saving one day of discomfort. However, achieving this requires daily intake, often in high doses. Some doses tested in children exceeded the Institute of Medicine’s Upper Limit, which can lead to nausea, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.
Zinc
Among the supplements we’ve reviewed, zinc lozenges show the most potential for alleviating cold symptoms. They’ve been extensively studied in randomized controlled trials involving adults, and multiple meta-analyses consistently indicate they shorten cold duration, especially when taking at least 75 milligrams daily at the onset of symptoms. At this dosage, colds were reduced by 42 percent in adults. While most research focuses on adults, a 2013 randomized controlled trial in Thailand found that children aged 8 to 13 who took zinc daily for three months experienced significantly shorter colds compared to those on a placebo.
However, the zinc doses used in these studies far exceed typical dietary intake and often approach or surpass the recommended daily upper limit, raising potential risks. The Thai study involved children taking high doses for months as a preventive measure, not just occasional treatment, which adds to my concerns. Additionally, nasal zinc has been linked to a loss of smell, so it’s best avoided entirely.
Ultimately, every supplement involves some level of risk. While some may offer benefits, results can vary, and most carry the possibility of side effects. More rigorous research is needed to better understand these trade-offs. For now, my family will rely on handwashing, covering coughs, getting enough sleep, and enjoying regular gummy bears—without any added supplements.
