Is Multi-Symptom Cold Medicine More Effective Than Single-Symptom Medicine? (0:59)
Expensive, multi-symptom cold medicines are not more effective if you don't have all the symptoms. In this video, pharmacist Suzy Cohen explains how using single agent ingredients to target specific symptoms are a better, cheaper solution.
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Don't pay high prices for extensive multitasking cough, and cold formulas, because they're going to target about 8 to 10 symptoms, and you might wind up feeling like a zombie anyway. What I would do is target a specific symptom that you're dealing with, and you might just pay 5 or 6 dollars for something like that.
So to give you an example, or if you have a running nose, I would suggest an antihistamine, and if your nose is stuffed up, try a product that contains psuedoephedrine. Now, if it's a dry hacking cough that's keeping you up all night, quiet it down with dextromethorphan, you'll see that on the label as D.
M., and if you got body aches, and pains, or feve, nor worries, look for pseudominophen or ibuprofen. These single agent ingredients could save you a lot of money in the pharmacy, and again when you avoid those major cough and cold symptom products that contain 8 or 10 ingredients, you're also going to feel a lot better.
Suzy Cohen, RPh has been a licensed pharmacist for 22 years and is a functional medicine practitioner. She is known as "America’s most trusted pharmacist" because she teaches others about natural vitamins, herbs and minerals.
