Good Lifestyle

Whatever better for a cold: vitamin C or echinacea? - Rob C., St. Louis, Mo

The pure extent of scientific literature supporting the ability of vitamin C to combat cold cold could fill a small library. Indeed, a recent study revealed that people who took 500 milligrams of vitamin C daily had 34% fewer colds than those that took less. The number of studies devoted to the echinacea, on the other hand, would not fill a three-ring cornace.Botto line: choose vitamin C or ester-c (a non-caying version of vitamin C which is softer on the stomach).

- Mark Moyad, MD, Phil F. Jenkins Director of Preventive and Alternative Medicine at the Medical Center of the University of Michigan