The herb that will keep colds away is echinacea; get it in tea bags in most supermarkets, Holland & Barrett. I have not had a cold for 4 years, I started taking echinacea 4 times a week, now I take it about twice a week. Green tea is also hugely beneficial. Also garlic - the active ingredient, alicin is preserved in tablet form; garlic in anti-bacterial, anti-viral. I did not say it will kill the aids virus, that is to be tested. The technique for extracting alicin was only perfected recently.

Phil Stilliard, TWICKENHAM, MIDDX

Foods that contain vitamin C are uniformly healthy foods for reasons beyond the vitamin content. In addition, vitamin C tablets are cheap, easily excreted if overdosed, and promote mild acidity of skin, mucous membranes, and urinary tract retarding the growth of bacteria and fungi. C taken with zinc supplements increase absorption of the zinc which has positive effect on the prostate and fighting infection.

Single, narrow focus on curing colds is interesting, but essentially meaningless for those practicing holistic health improvement.

Paul Charbonnet, Baton Rouge, la

There you go, Richard, an Indian who puts his lack of colds down to 5g of vitamin C per day. Could it be the same for the rest of them?

Rajeev, I remember reading quite recently (well, within the last 2 years) that taking too much of a vitamin can actually have a detrimental effect on health because the body doesn't actually need very large doses of them.

Selma, most cartons of orange juice (I'm not sure about longlife) claim that one glass will provide you with your daily vitamin C requirements. Usually it also tells you how large that one glass should be: normally 200ml or 250ml.
Please note that the article cites "physical stress" rather than just "stress" as you infer.
Also, I'm interested to know what makes Jewish chicken soup Jewish. Is it made by Jews? Do the chickens themselves follow the religious teachings of the Torah? Or both?

Alice, Sheffield,

And the rest gets excreted via urine. Charming isn't it... water soluble vitamins don't get stored in the body and we don't benefit hugely from eating tablets. Why not just have a healthy balanced diet?

Diana, London,

I've had fewer colds and less severe colds since taking at least a gram of vitamin C daily. I also take it during allergy season and it stops allergic reaction for at least two hours. Linus Pauling surmised that large apes (who also do not manufacture vitamin C internally) ate three grams of the vitamin daily, so that might be an evolutionary clue. Low doses such as 200 mg would be meaningless for many people. The 60 mg "recommended" dose simply prevents scurvy in most people. That dosage shouldn't be considered an "optimal" dosage.

Doug, Pleasant Valley, New York, US

Vitamin C taken in conjunction with zinc. regularly, can ward off colds and cold sores.

Orange juice does contain Vitamin C, but does the study mean freshly picked oranges with freshly squeezed juice or concentrated /carton/long life juice? How many ml constitutes a 'single glass'?

Does the study attempt to indentify the preventative or curative effects of Vitamin C?

It states that people under 'stress' (and cites athletes) may require a supplementary dose of Vitamin C, but many of us are stressed and stress is known to deplete vitamins and minerals, particularly water soluble ones.

Intensive farming and storage of fruit and veg also depletes the potential vitamin content .

A balanced diet is imperative, exercise, water and fresh air, no alcohol or smoking. And no stress (now where is my map of Utopia??)

Freshly grated root ginger, fresh lemon/lime juice, hot water and honey 'tea' helps.

I understand that Jewish chicken soup is v. good!

Selma, Bristol, UK

I find it's very useful in PREVENTING colds.

Jonathan Lowenstein, Tel-Aviv, Israel

From personal experience I believe curry from an Indian/ Pakistani restaurant is the best remedy and deterant.
When ever I feel a cold is coming on I then have a medium curry and the next day I feel great and the feeling has gone; ask yourself honestly when you last saw an Indian/ Pakistani with a cold? This isn't racism it's fact.

Richard, London, UK

At 200 mg level vitamin C cannot ward off a cold. But it can prevent colds at the dose Linus Pauling suggested. This study really does not refute what Pauling said because the dosage used is miniscule.
Pauling himself used to take over 10 grams (10,000 mg) a day. I have been regularly taking 5 grams a day in divided doses and find that it is very effective in preventing colds and most other infections as well.

Rajeev, Kanpur, India