A large study has found that expensive brand name nasal sprays shorten the duration of a cold by at least three days. However, a cheap homemade alternative can be just as effective.
Scientists compared Vicks First Defence, which claims to ‘stop colds instantly’ and costs £8 a bottle, with a simple saline nasal spray.
They found that both sprays shortened the period patients felt sick when used in the early stages of an infection.
But the expensive Vicks version performed no better than the saline solution version, which you can make at home from boiled tap water, salt and a pinch of baking soda.
The trial, conducted by Southampton University and published in the journal The Lancet, studied 19,475 people over three winters. Half of them developed a cold at some point during the trial.
Nasal sprays can shorten the duration of a cold by three days if used three times a day. Researchers believe they may be twice as effective if used six times a day.
The researchers found that Vicks First Defence was very effective at fighting colds, but the simple saline spray worked just as well
Those who used the sprays did so three times a day when they had a tickly nose, and were better after 12 days. People who didn’t use them took 15 days to recover.
Lead researcher Professor Paul Little believes the sprays could be twice as effective if used six times a day, rather than three times.
He said: ‘We had quite remarkable results. I think this is essentially a game changer for the common cold.
‘The Vicks variant contains a mild acid that is supposed to kill viruses, and a polymer molecule that clears them.
‘But we found that the saline solution was just as effective.
“We believe these sprays are effective because they wash the viruses to the back of the throat so they can pass through the mouth into the stomach.”
The study found that people who used the sprays were significantly less likely to seek antibiotics from their doctor, which could help combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Professor Paul Little says antibiotic resistance is a ‘booming iceberg of a public health problem’
“By 2050, antibiotic resistance will kill more people than cancer, diabetes and a few other diseases,” said Professor Little.
“It’s a looming iceberg of a public health problem for us. So to find something that’s so simple and cheap, that everyone can get and is so effective, is just brilliant.
“It could make a big difference in the annual health crises we have in the winter.”
He added that isotonic saline solution is readily available at most pharmacies and a one-litre bottle can be purchased for the same price as a 15ml bottle of Vicks First Defence.
You can also make saline solution yourself at home using boiled tap water, salt and baking soda.
Professor Little said his team is working on a simple recipe that people can make at home.
“It’s very simple to make, but you have to use the right amounts,” he said.
The study was not sponsored by Vicks and the researchers had to purchase all the bottles they used themselves, he added.
Professor John Tregoning, from Imperial College London, said: ‘Colds place a huge burden on the health service and the wider economy because of the number of sick days taken.
‘They can also worsen certain conditions, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
‘Although antibiotics are usually caused by viruses, there are also bacteria that infect the nose and lungs. This uncertainty has led to the overprescribing of antibiotics, which in turn has contributed to bacteria becoming resistant to this important class of drugs.
‘Ways to reduce the time we feel sick would benefit both the individual and society.’
He added that the research shows that non-antibiotic treatments are important, but that most colds are viral and “go away on their own,” so you don’t need drugs to get better.
“Time is the best healer,” he said.
