Expert Available to Discuss Alternative Cold Remedies, FDA Advice on Zicam

Consumers of over-the-counter homeopathic and “natural” cold remedies should carefully research such treatment options and properly follow dosage instructions, urges a UMDNJ physician who specializes in integrative medicine.

“People cannot assume that homeopathic or natural products are safe,” commented Dr. Adam Perlman, executive director of the Institute for Complementary & Alternative Medicine at the UMDNJ-School of Health Related Professions, following a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement advising consumers not to use certain Zicam Cold Remedies. According to the FDA, the intranasal zinc product was linked to loss of sense of smell.

“There’s a good chance such products may be helpful on some level, but it’s important to do the research to determine what’s effective and identify what the safety issues, if any, are,” said Perlman, who is a UMDNJ Endowed Professor of Complementary and Alternative Medicine and chair of the Department of Primary Care at the UMDNJ-School of Health Related Professions.

He also suggests that consumers carefully follow dosage instructions. “Overusage tends to occur with homeopathic or natural products because, again, people assume they are safe, but excess doses may be harmful,” he said.

The jury is still out on the effectiveness of herbs, such as Echinacea, and homeopathic or natural remedies, including those providing a boost of zinc or vitamin C, on cold symptoms, but some may be viable alternatives to medication, Perlman said. “A holistic approach to dealing with a cold also includes getting plenty of rest and a healthy diet,” he said.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) is the nation’s largest free-standing public health sciences university with nearly 5,700 students attending the state’s three medical schools, its only dental school, a graduate school of biomedical sciences, a school of health related professions, a school of nursing and a school of public health on five campuses. Annually, there are more than two million patient visits at UMDNJ facilities and faculty practices at campuses in Newark, New Brunswick/Piscataway, Scotch Plains, Camden and Stratford. UMDNJ operates University Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center in Newark, and University Behavioral HealthCare, a statewide mental health and addiction services network.

Source: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)