Does vitamin C prevent the common cold?
Does vitamin C prevent the common cold?
Gómez et al., 2018 | Medwave | Meta Analysis
Citation
Gómez Evelyn, Quidel Sebastián, ... Ortigoza Ángela. Does vitamin C prevent the common cold?. Medwave. 2018-Aug-06;18(4):e7235. doi:10.5867/medwave.2018.04.7236
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The common cold is one of the most common diseases. It is generally believed that the consumption of vitamin C prevents its appearance, but the actual efficacy of this measure is controversial. METHODS: To answer this question we used Epistemonikos, the largest database of systematic reviews in health, which is maintained by screening multiple information sources, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, among others. We extracted data from the systematic reviews, reanalyzed data of primary studies, conducted a meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table using the GRADE approach. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: We identified eight systematic reviews including 45 studies overall, of which 31 were randomized trials. We concluded the consumption of vitamin C does not prevent the incidence of common cold.
Key Findings
We identified eight systematic reviews including 45 studies overall, of which 31 were randomized trials. We concluded the consumption of vitamin C does not prevent the incidence of common cold.
Outcomes Measured
- Requires manual extraction
Population
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | See abstract |
| Sample Size | 45 |
| Age Range | See abstract |
| Condition | See abstract |
MeSH Terms
- Antioxidants
- Ascorbic Acid
- Common Cold
- Databases, Factual
- Humans
- Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
- Treatment Outcome
Evidence Classification
- Level: Meta Analysis
- Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Review
- Vertical: vitamin-c-immune
Provenance
- PMID: 30113569
- DOI: 10.5867/medwave.2018.04.7236
- PMCID: Not in PMC
- Verified: 2026-04-09 via PubMed E-utilities API
Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09