A major study found that expensive brand-name nasal sprays reduce the duration of a cold by at least three days, but a cheap homemade alternative may be just as effective.
Scientists compared Vicks First Defence, which claims to “stop a cold instantly” and costs £8 a bottle, with a simple saline nasal spray.
They found that both sprays reduced the length of time patients felt unwell when used in the early stages of an infection.
But the expensive Vicks version fared no better than the saline solution, which can be made at home with boiled tap water, salt and a pinch of baking soda.
The trial, conducted by the University of Southampton and published in The Lancet, studied 19,475 people over three winters. Half of them caught a cold at some point during the trial.
Nasal sprays can reduce the duration of a cold by three days if used three times a day. Researchers believe they could be twice as effective if used six times a day.
Researchers found that Vicks First Defense was very effective at fighting colds, but simple saline spray worked just as well.
Those who used the sprays did so three times a day when they had an itchy nose and improved within 12 days. Those who did not 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.
He said: “We have had quite remarkable results. I think this is essentially a turning point in the treatment of the common cold.”
‘Vicks contains a mild acid that supposedly kills viruses and a polymer molecule that removes them.
‘But we found that saline was just as effective.
We believe these sprays are effective because they carry the viruses to the back of the throat, so they can be swallowed and reach the stomach.
The study found that those who used the sprays were significantly less likely to seek antibiotics from their doctor, which could curb the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.
Professor Paul Little says antibiotic resistance is ‘the iceberg of a public health problem’
“By 2050 there will be more deaths from antibiotic resistance than from cancer, diabetes and a few other things,” Professor Little said.
“For us, it’s a public health problem that’s rarely seen, so finding something really simple and cheap, that anyone can get and that’s so effective, is just great.
“It could make a big difference to the health crises we experience every year in winter.”
He added that isotonic saline solution is easily found in most pharmacies and a one-litre bottle can be purchased for the same price as 15ml of Vicks First Defense.
Alternatively, saline solution can be prepared at home using boiled tap water, salt, and baking soda.
Professor Little said his team is working on an easy recipe that people can recreate at home.
“It’s very simple to make, but you have to have the right quantities,” he said.
The trial was not sponsored by Vicks and researchers had to purchase all the bottles they used, she added.
Professor John Tregoning, from Imperial College London, said: ‘Colds are a major burden on the health system and the wider economy, due to the days taken off sick.
‘They can also further worsen some diseases such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
‘While they are mostly caused by viruses, there are some bacteria that also infect the nose and lungs and this uncertainty has led to the widespread prescription of antibiotics, which in turn has contributed to bacteria becoming resistant to this vital class of drugs.
‘Finding ways to shorten the time we feel sick would be beneficial to both individuals and society.’
He added that the study shows that non-antibiotic treatments are important, but most colds are viral and “resolve on their own” so they don’t need any medication to get better.
“Time is the best healer,” he said.