Article: Hot buzz on a cold cure; The science behind zinc as a cure for the common cold is iffy at best. But forget science. Many believe that zinc is like chicken soup - if you think it helps, it will.(VARIETY)

If you've sniffled even once this season, you've probably heard this advice:

Take zinc.

Zinc tablets and lozenges are all the rage this cold and flu season, generating almost as much word-of-mouth excitement as "Titanic."

If you listen to the true believers, taking zinc at the first sign of symptoms can stop a cold in its tracks or prevent it entirely. It's supposed to work by boosting your immune system. And best of all, it's all natural.

The science, though, is pretty iffy. Just last month, medical researchers reported that the studies on zinc and colds have been contradictory: Some showed it helped; some didn't. One of the most ...

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