Common cold: To reduce the duration and severity of symptoms associated with the common cold.
Dietary supplement: For use as a dietary supplement.
There are no contraindications listed in the manufacturers labeling.
Recommended daily allowance (RDA): Oral (dose expressed as elemental zinc) (IOM, 2001):
Males: 11 mg daily
Females: 8 mg daily
Pregnancy: 11 mg daily
Lactation: 12 mg daily
Common cold: Note: For best results, begin therapy 24 to 48 hours prior to symptom onset: Dissolve one 13.3 mg lozenge in mouth every 2 to 4 hours as needed. Maximum: 6 lozenges daily
Refer to adult dosing.
Adequate intake (AI): Oral (dose expressed as elemental zinc): Infants 1 to 6 months: 2 mg daily (IOM, 2001)
Recommended daily allowance (RDA): Oral (dose expressed as elemental zinc) (IOM, 2001):
Infants 7 to 12 months: 3 mg daily
Children 1 to 3 years: 3 mg daily
Children 4 to 8 years: 5 mg daily
Children and Adolescents 9 to 13 years: 8 mg daily
Adolescents 14 to 18 years:
Males: 11 mg daily
Females: 9 mg daily
Pregnancy: 12 mg daily
Lactation: 13 mg daily
Common cold: Note: For best results, begin therapy 24 to 48 hours prior to symptom onset: Children ≥12 years and Adolescents ≤17 years of age: Dissolve one 13.3 mg lozenge in mouth every 2 to 4 hours as needed. Maximum: 4 lozenges daily
There are no dosage adjustments provided in the manufacturer 's labeling.
There are no dosage adjustments provided in the manufacturer 's labeling.
May be taken with food to avoid stomach upset.
Lozenge: Dissolve in mouth; do not chew. Avoid citrus fruits/juices and products containing citric acid within 30 minutes prior to or after use.
Dietary sources of zinc are red meat, some seafood, and whole grains. When dietary phytate is increased (as with some vegetarian diets), dietary absorption of zinc is decreased (IOM, 2001).
Lozenge: Avoid citrus fruits/juices and products containing citric acid within 30 minutes prior to or after use.
Store at controlled room temperature.
Excipient information presented when available (limited, particularly for generics); consult specific product labeling.
Capsule, Oral [preservative free]:
Zn-50: 50 mg [dye free, sugar free, yeast free]
Gum, Oral:
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (18 ea) [bubble-gum flavor]
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (20 ea) [cinnamon flavor]
Lozenge, Mouth/Throat:
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (6 ea)
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (18 ea) [cherry flavor]
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (18 ea) [citrus flavor]
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (18 ea) [honey-lemon flavor]
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (18 ea) [menthol flavor]
Cold-Eeze: 13.3 mg (18 ea) [tropical fruit flavor]
Generic: 10 mg (100 ea)
Solution, Intravenous:
Generic: 10 mg/10 mL (10 mL)
Tablet, Oral:
Generic: 15 mg, 30 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg
Tablet, Oral [preservative free]:
Generic: 50 mg
Ceftibuten: Zinc Salts may decrease the serum concentration of Ceftibuten. Management: Consider administering oral zinc salts at least 3 hours after ceftibuten. Consider therapy modification
Cephalexin: Zinc Salts may decrease the absorption of Cephalexin. Management: Consider administering oral zinc salts at least 3 hours after cephalexin. Consider therapy modification
Deferiprone: Zinc Salts may decrease the serum concentration of Deferiprone. Management: Separate administration of deferiprone and oral medications or supplements that contain polyvalent cations by at least 4 hours. Consider therapy modification
Dolutegravir: Zinc Salts may decrease the serum concentration of Dolutegravir. Management: Administer dolutegravir at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after oral zinc salts. Consider therapy modification
Eltrombopag: Zinc Salts may decrease the serum concentration of Eltrombopag. Management: Administer eltrombopag at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after oral administration of any zinc-containing product. Consider therapy modification
Quinolone Antibiotics: Zinc Salts may decrease the serum concentration of Quinolone Antibiotics. Management: Administer oral quinolones at least several hours before (4 h for moxi- and sparfloxacin, 2 h for others) or after (8 h for moxi-, 6 h for cipro-, 4 h for lome-, 3 h for gemi-, and 2 h for levo-, nor-, or ofloxacin or nalidixic acid) oral zinc salts. Exceptions: LevoFLOXacin (Oral Inhalation). Consider therapy modification
Tetracycline Derivatives: Zinc Salts may decrease the absorption of Tetracycline Derivatives. Only a concern when both products are administered orally. Management: Consider doxycycline as a noninteracting tetracycline derivative. Separate dose administration of oral tetracycline derivative and oral zinc salts by at least 2 hours to minimize interaction. Exceptions: Doxycycline. Consider therapy modification
Trientine: May decrease the serum concentration of Zinc Salts. Zinc Salts may decrease the serum concentration of Trientine. Consider therapy modification
Frequency not defined; may vary with different salts. Adverse reactions reported with excess dietary zinc (IOM, 2001).
Central nervous system: Headache
Endocrine & metabolic: Copper deficiency, decreased HDL cholesterol, decreased LDL cholesterol
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal cramps, decreased appetite, diarrhea, epigastric pain, gastrointestinal distress, nausea, vomiting
Hematologic & oncologic: Immunodeficiency
Disease related concerns:
- Malabsorption syndromes: Absorption of zinc may be decreased and urinary excretion increased in patients with Crohn 's disease, short bowel syndrome and sprue (IOM, 2001).
Other warnings/precautions:
- Self-medication (OTC use): When used for self medication (OTC) to treat the common cold, notify healthcare provider if symptoms continue for greater than 7 days. Increase fluid intake during therapy.
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Zinc crosses the placenta and can be measured in the cord blood and placenta. Fetal concentrations are regulated by the placenta (de Moraes, 2011). The RDA is increased during pregnancy (IOM, 2001).
Zinc is an essential mineral that is found in almost every cell. It stimulates the activity of approximately 100 enzymes (IOM, 2001). Zinc deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of infection. When used to treat the common cold, zinc may interfere with rhinovirus cleavage or adhesion, and may protect plasma membranes from microbial toxins and complement (Nahas, 2011).
Small intestine (IOM, 2001)
Stored primarily in skeletal muscle and bone (IOM, 2001)
Feces and urine (IOM, 2001)
Primarily to albumin (IOM, 2001)
- Discuss specific use of drug and side effects with patient as it relates to treatment. (HCAHPS: During this hospital stay, were you given any medicine that you had not taken before? Before giving you any new medicine, how often did hospital staff tell you what the medicine was for? How often did hospital staff describe possible side effects in a way you could understand?)
- Educate patient about signs of a significant reaction (eg, wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat). Note: This is not a comprehensive list of all side effects. Patient should consult prescriber for additional questions.
Intended Use and Disclaimer: Should not be printed and given to patients. This information is intended to serve as a concise initial reference for health care professionals to use when discussing medications with a patient. You must ultimately rely on your own discretion, experience, and judgment in diagnosing, treating, and advising patients.