I Am AirBorne!

Does 'Airborne' cold remedy really work? (New York -WABC, February 27, 2006)

Americans catch a billon colds a year and the number one herbal remedy they reach for is "Airborne," but a Good Morning America investigation is raising questions about whether airborne is effective.

Airborne's ads promise to cure a cold in one hour, but even its CEO says the product is not a cold remedy, it just boosts the immune system.
GMA discovered Airborne's scientific studies were inaccurate.

Now Airborne is removing references to those studies from its packaging.

Cold remedies: What works, what doesn't, what can't hurt
It's a given that there's no cure for the common cold. But what about remedies that claim to make you feel better faster? You may be surprised at what does and doesn't pass the effectiveness test.

Isn't that the stuff that causes brain damage and turns otherwise normal people into Republicans?

What is in it other than zinc <which I think is a great cold preventative, not so much a treatment> ?

I thought Airborne (and Vitamin C stuff in general) was supposed to prevent colds, not to cure them?

Pharmacists Letter "Rumor vs Truth" February 11, 2005

RUMOR: Airborne can help prevent or shorten duration of colds.

TRUTH: Airborne is a dietary supplement used for prevention and treatment of colds and flu. It's the one that was "developed by a school teacher who was sick of catching colds in class." Airborne contains several vitamins, minerals and herbs. The manufacturer suggests taking one tablet every 3 hours at the first sign of a cold.

It is important to note that one tablet contains vitamin C 1,000 mg...vitamin A 5,000 IU...vitamin E 30 IU. These amounts meet or exceed the RDA.

Vitamin C taken prophylactically in doses of at least 1 gram per day seems to reduce the duration of cold symptoms by a half-day. Tell patients the slight reduction in duration of cold symptoms may not be worth large doses of vitamin C on a daily basis.

Vitamin C at doses above 2 grams per day may cause diarrhea and stomach upset. In people with a history of oxalate kidney stones (the most common type), supplemental vitamin C 1 gram per day appears to increase stone risk...possibly an increase of 40%.

Vitamin C is not proven to be helpful in PREVENTING colds.
There isn't any proof that vitamin A is helpful in preventing or treating colds and flu. Large doses of vitamin A can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, vertigo, and blurred vision.
Zinc is also an ingredient in Airborne. A lot of research suggests that zinc lozenges begun within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of cold symptoms can reduce the severity and duration of the cold. But other research shows no effect. Some experts say that flavoring agents, such as the citric acid and mannitol found in Airborne, might chelate zinc, making it inactive. Zinc is not helpful in preventing colds.

Airborne also contains echinacea. Echinacea MIGHT shorten the duration and severity of cold symptoms...but research is conflicting. The active constituent of echinacea is not known so products can't be standardized. Various species and plant parts (flowers, leaves, stems, and roots) have been used in clinical studies. The amount of echinacea in Airborne is unknown.

Other ingredients listed in the product have not been proven to be helpful in treating or preventing the cold.
Tell patients there's no proof that Airborne is helpful in preventing or treating colds.

Advise patients taking multiple daily doses of Airborne about the possibility of excessive vitamins A and C. Remind patients to also add up the amount in any daily multivitamins they might take.

There's also some concern that echinacea might increase levels of drugs metabolized by the CYP3A4 enzyme...macrolides, antifungals, etc. Tell patients on these drugs to avoid Airborne.

Caution patients on warfarin or other antiplatelet drugs that Airborne contains ginger and lonicera which may increase the risk of bleeding.