Vitamin C as a Supplementary Therapy in Relieving Symptoms of the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 10 Randomized Controlled Trials

source extracted confidence: high 2026-04-09
#adult #antiviral-agents #ascorbic-acid #child-preschool #common-cold

Vitamin C as a Supplementary Therapy in Relieving Symptoms of the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 10 Randomized Controlled Trials

Ran et al., 2020 | Biomed Res Int | Meta Analysis

Citation

Ran Li, Zhao Wenli, ... Bu Huaien. Vitamin C as a Supplementary Therapy in Relieving Symptoms of the Common Cold: A Meta-Analysis of 10 Randomized Controlled Trials. Biomed Res Int. 2020;2020:8573742. doi:10.1155/2020/8573742

Abstract

AIM: To investigate whether vitamin C performs well as a supplemental treatment for common cold. METHOD: After systematically searching through the National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Cochrane Library, Elsevier, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP databases, and Wanfang databases, 10 randomized controlled trials were selected for our meta-analysis with RevMan 5.3 software. Published in China, all 10 studies evaluated the effect of combined vitamin C and antiviral therapy for the treatment of common cold. RESULTS: The total efficacy (RR = 1.27, 95% CI (1.08, 1.48), P = 0.003), the time for symptom amelioration (MD = -15.84, 95% CI (-17.02, -14.66), P < 0.00001), and the time for healing (I, 95% CI (-14.98, -4.22), P = 0.0005) were better with vitamin C supplementation than with antiviral therapy alone. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin C could be used as a supplementary therapy along with antiviral regimens to relieve patients from the symptoms of common cold.

Key Findings

The total efficacy (RR = 1.27, 95% CI (1.08, 1.48), P = 0.003), the time for symptom amelioration (MD = -15.84, 95% CI (-17.02, -14.66), P < 0.00001), and the time for healing (I, 95% CI (-14.98, -4.22), P = 0.0005) were better with vitamin C supplementation than with antiviral therapy alone.

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 10
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Child, Preschool
  • Common Cold
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Young Adult

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis
  • Vertical: vitamin-c-immune

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09