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Take vitamin C and zinc

Although vitamin C and zinc for cold prevention remain controversial, some studies show that C is helpful —especially for people who are under extreme stress—and that zinc can prevent viruses from multiplying. Experts say there's no harm in trying.

Make it work for you: Neil Schachter, MD, director of respiratory care at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, in New York City, suggests taking a conservative amount of vitamin C (500 milligrams a day) at the first sign of a cold. (The Institute of Medicine advises drawing the line at 2,000 mg daily to avoid gastrointestinal or kidney problems.) As for zinc, Dr. Schachter suggests taking zinc lozenges several times a day when a cold starts.

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