Cold Season Essentials: What to Know about Supplements for Kids

When cold season arrives, parents often reach for supplements hoping to protect their children from illness or speed up recovery. With so many options available, it's tough to know what actually works. Here's what the evidence says about some popular choices.

Echinacea has the most clinical evidence for children, though results are mixed. One study found that healthy children 4-12 years of age experienced roughly 30% fewer cold symptoms, 50% fewer respiratory complications, and 60% fewer antibiotic prescriptions when taking a specific product (Echinaforce Junior) for 4 months. However, another study using a different formulation found no such benefit.

As for safety, echinacea is generally well tolerated short-term. Health authorities in the United Kingdom recommend avoiding echinacea in children under 12 due to concerns about potential allergic reactions. While severe allergic reactions remain rare, tell parents to monitor for skin changes or other allergic symptoms.

But what about other popular supplements for the cold season, like vitamin C and zinc? Unfortunately, evidence in children remains limited. 

A meta-analysis found that vitamin C reduced cold severity by 13% and shortened the duration of severe symptoms - with better results in children than adults. But point out that this only seems beneficial when vitamin C is taken routinely and not after symptoms appear. If recommending it, remind parents to stay within safe limits to avoid adverse effects like diarrhea and stomach upset - that’s 400 mg daily for ages 1-3, 650 mg for ages 4-8, 1,200 mg for ages 9-13, and 1,800 mg for adolescents ages 14-18.

Zinc has even less supporting evidence in kids. One study shows it doesn’t prevent colds in children when taken prophylactically. While likely safe within recommended limits (ranging from 4 mg daily for infants to 34 mg for teens), exceeding these amounts, particularly long-term, can cause issues like copper deficiency and anemia. Additionally, intranasal zinc products pose a different concern - they’ve been linked to loss of sense of smell.

For parents seeking these options, focus on appropriate dosing, careful monitoring, and realistic expectations. Most importantly, encourage them to discuss any new supplements with their health care provider before starting.

For additional evidence-based options for common cold prevention or treatment, check out our “Effectiveness by Condition” tool.