Top 7 Natural Cold Remedies: Do They Work?

There may be even less evidence for the efficacy of goldenseal, but some folks swear by it.

"Goldenseal hasn't been studied as much, but I don't think that there's any inherent problem to using it as long as somebody doesn't have an allergy to it," Dr. Leopold says.

Although this Asian herb is taken mainly to boost energy, stamina, and overall health, researchers have begun to examine its efficacy in fighting the common cold. A 2005 study conducted by Canadian researchers found that taking ginseng every day reduced the severity and duration of cold symptoms and appeared to prevent colds as well.

RELATED: 11 Home Remedies to Try When You Can't Stop Coughing

Long popular with the holistic crowd, daily rinsing is thought to fend off cough, sniffles, and sore throat. A 2008 study found that children who rinsed with a saline nasal wash six times a day had an improvement in cold symptoms and fewer recurrences. However, a 2009 study published in Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology found that daily rinsing may deplete the nose of protective mucus and up your risk of getting a cold and other infections.

If you do decide to use a neti pot don't use tap water! Due to rare brain infections, the FDA warns that it's best to use distilled or sterile water, or boil water for three to five minutes and then cool before using.

Though less well-known than some other herbal cold remedies, extracts derived from this plant have been shown to decrease the symptoms of acute bronchitis. One study, published in the journal Phytomedicine in 2003, examined 468 adults with acute bronchitis lasting less than two days who were given either placebo or an extract of the roots of Pelargonium sidoides; those in the latter group were told to take 30 drops three times a day for a week.

The treated patients saw quicker resolution of symptoms including pain during cough and fever and were able to return to work in an average of 4.7 days (compared to 6.3 days for placebo).

RELATED: 13 Home Remedies for Bronchitis That Might Finally Ease Your Cough

Vitamin C may be the most studied of the available alternative cold remedies. Again, study results have been mixed, but experts seem to more strongly support vitamin C than other remedies. Even the purported benefits of Airborne may have more to do with its vitamin content than other ingredients.

"There's nothing intrinsically wrong or right with the product," says Steve Gardner, litigation director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "It's an extraordinarily expensive vitamin C delivery system. If there's any benefit, it may be from the vitamin C, which for some people might reduce the severity or duration of a cold but won’t prevent one."

The recommended daily intake is 75 milligrams for adult women and 90 milligrams for adult men. Dr. Leopold recommends that people with colds take a gram or so of vitamin C several times a day, depending on what other medical conditions they may have.

RELATED: 12 Foods With More Vitamin C Than Oranges

A 1996 study found that zinc lozenges reduced the duration of the common cold from 7.6 days to 4.4 days. Other studies have been mixed but doctors do sometimes recommend the supplement.

However, there may be some risk to Zicam Cold Remedy products. In 2006, the manufacturer of the zinc spray paid $12 million to settle 340 lawsuits from consumers who claimed to have lost their sense of smell after using the product. And in June 2009, the FDA warned consumers to stop using three Zicam products due to the risk of a loss of the sense of smell.

RELATED: 4 Things You Should Know About Zinc and the Common Cold

The good news is that, in general, most of these compounds won't hurt you—although it's worth checking with your doctor before starting a new supplement.

And there may be another upside to herbal supplements. "I believe that most of the over-the-counter products just mask symptoms, which is great to get you through the day," Dr. Leopold says. "But a lot of the oral supplements are working more with the body, maybe stimulating the immune system and also helping the body to heal."

Still, he adds, "Err on the side of caution. I don't recommend that any of my patients take any of this stuff every day."

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