A Pharmacist Explains Which Is Better

How Effective Are the Ingredients?

Here’s what the research says about some of the active ingredients found in Airborne and/or Emergen-C:

• Vitamin C: Taking 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily for three months in the winter can reduce the incidence of colds in men with low baseline vitamin C levels. It can also reduce the symptoms of an existing cold.
• Zinc: A large review of 34 studies showed that zinc has little, if any, effect on preventing colds, but it may shorten the duration by a few days. Of note, a dose of Airborne has 4 times the amount of zinc than Emergen-C (8 milligrams vs. 2 milligrams).
• Vitamin E: Vitamin E is found in Airborne but not in Emergen-C. Studies of vitamin E’s use to prevent or treat respiratory infections have yielded mixed results. Some have even shown that vitamin E can worsen symptoms and cause longer colds.
• Echinacea: This herbal supplement is found in Airborne, but not in Emergen-C. Evidence shows that echinacea may slightly lower the risk of catching a cold but doesn’t shorten its duration.
• B vitamins: These are ingredients in Emergen-C, but not in Airborne. B vitamins, at recommended daily doses, are associated with a healthy immune system. However, some amounts of the B vitamins in Emergen-C, like vitamins B6 and B12, are much higher than recommended.

Are Airborne and Emergen-C Safe for Me?

If you take either Airborne or Emergen-C, keep the following considerations in mind:

• Allergies: Do not take these products if you are allergic to any of their ingredients. Do note the herbs in Airborne to ensure you’re not allergic or hypersensitive to them.
• Side effects: High doses of vitamin C can cause headaches, stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Zinc may cause side effects like a metallic taste, loss of smell, and gastrointestinal problems.
• Precautions: Discuss taking Emergen-C with your healthcare provider before using if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking other medications. Airbone’s manufacturer suggests avoiding its product in these situations. Airborne contains maltodextrin, as does Emergen-C. The latter also contains fructose. Maltodextrin and fructose may be inappropriate for people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or on a low-FODMAP diet. For those monitoring their sugar intake (ex., diabetes), Emergen-C contains almost double the added sugars as Airborne.
• Interactions: Because of the high vitamin C, Airborne and Emergen-C may interact with some cancer treatments, potentially making chemotherapy and radiation less effective. High-dose vitamin C may also increase your levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (“good” cholesterol), enhancing the effects of some cholesterol medications. It also increases iron uptake. Zinc can counteract the effects of corticosteroids and organ transplant medications.

Special Considerations

In addition to the above precautions, specific considerations for these supplements include:

• Airborne: The herbal ingredients in Airborne may cause drug interactions. For example, echinacea can interact with corticosteroids, organ transplant medications like cyclosporine, caffeine, and sedatives like Versed (midazolam). The fat-soluble vitamins A and E in Airborne would be best absorbed with a small amount of fat.
• Emergen-C: This product includes high doses of vitamin B6, which may cause skin lesions, sun sensitivity, and nausea. Taking these doses long-term may cause toxicity, making it difficult to coordinate body movements.

What Else Can I Do to Keep Myself Healthy?

Consider these practical tips to keep yourself healthy during cold and flu season or after being exposed to someone who is sick:

• Practice good hygiene: Hand-washing is an easy and effective way to prevent catching and spreading diseases. Washing your hands more often can prevent up to 20% of colds.
• Get recommended immunizations: Vaccines prevent diseases by teaching your body how to fight specific infections. Consider flu and COVID-19 vaccinations, plus any others your healthcare provider recommends, to prevent illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers vaccination resources and immunization schedules to help you keep everything up-to-date.
• Get good sleep: Not sleeping enough can lower your immune system’s response to infections and make getting sick easier. Getting to the bottom of and addressing any sleep issues can boost your immune health.
• Eat a healthy diet: Consuming the recommended daily amounts of nutrients like vitamins, zinc, iron, and selenium is vital to a healthy immune system. You will likely not need to supplement unless you are deficient in these nutrients (have very low amounts). If you’re concerned, talk to your healthcare provider about having labs drawn so you can know for sure if you have enough of these nutrients.
• Exercise: Regular moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking for 30 minutes at least three times a week, has proven benefits for the immune system.
• Manage stress: Not surprisingly, chronic stress negatively affects the immune system. Some ideas to counter stress include mindfulness exercises, yoga, physical activity, being outside, and art or music therapy.

Summary

Airborne and Emergen-C are popular supplements that are marketed for immune system support. Their original formulas both contain high doses of vitamin C. In the case of Airborne, they also include other ingredients like additional vitamins, minerals, and herbal products.

The bottom line is that while Airborne or Emergen-C may provide some benefit in preventing or treating colds or boosting the immune system, they have not been proven effective in clinical trials. There’s insufficient data to know which one may be more helpful for you.

Because there are so many ingredients in these products, discuss taking them with your healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, ask your healthcare provider if these are good choices for you if you take other medicines, including over-the-counter products or other supplements.