Does zinc help fight colds?

Dr. Lekutat's answer:

Once I did the math and figured out that we catch roughly 200 colds during our lifetimes. All together, that means we spend 5 years of our lives with runny noses and coughs! But in spite of this, we doctors still haven't found anything that really shortens a cold's length. Well....maybe one thing. Zinc does actually seem to help. It boosts the immune system and can slightly reduce a cold's lifespan. But you need to take it very soon after the first symptoms appear -- or even better BEFORE that, as zinc can help prevent colds and flu. Personally, I take a chewable 25mg zinc tablet every day during the winter. Ask your doctor if that's something that might help you, too.