BAD news for fans of vitamin C: it is not the cold-buster it’s cracked up to be. In fact, regular doses will not prevent a cold in most people, though it might not last so long, according to a major review of existing research.
Robert Douglas of the Australian National University in Canberra and colleagues looked at 55 studies dating back 65 years. They conclude that regular doses of at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C do not reduce the risk of a cold in the general population.
The duration of any cold that did develop was shortened. “But only…
