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Why you should stop wasting your money on cold medicine

To the sick, to the allergic, to the tissue-clutching, stuffy-nosed sufferer, there's a certain aisle in the drugstore that offers unbridled hope, where shelves overflow with cold and sinus medicines advertising relief. It seems all a bleary-eyed person needs to do is pluck one from a cornucopia and breathe easy.

Now, science has a more definitive solution to our drugstore dilemma: keep on walking.

A study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice in September examined phenylephrine, the decongestant that appears in many over-the-counter cold medicines found on store shelves, from Tylenol Sinus to Sudafed PE to Advil Sinus Congestion & Pain.…

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Featured

 A Decongestant in Cold Medicines Doesn’t Work at All, an F.D.A. Panel Says

The agency now must decide whether products containing the ingredient, like some Sudafed and NyQuil products, should no longer be sold or perhaps give companies lead time to substitute other ingredients.

 Don't let decongestants squeeze your heart

The FDA says that pseudoephedrine is safe when taken as directed. Indeed, millions of people use it each year without any dire consequences. That doesn't mean it's risk free. Over the years, there have been reports of heart attacks, strokes, disturbed heart rhythms, and other cardiovascular problems linked with use of pseudoephedrine.

 Here’s Why Many Decongestants May Soon Disappear From Store Shelves

Some of the most common cold medications like Benadryl, Mucinex and variations of Tylenol may soon be forced off shelves after a Food and Drug Administration panel found oral phenylephrine to be ineffective, potentially forcing drug companies to reformulate products and consumers to turn to nasal sprays to fight congestion.

 Leading Decongestant in Cold and Flu Medicines Doesn’t Work, FDA Advisory Panel Says

Phenylephrine, a popular ingredient in over-the-counter remedies, is no better than a placebo, per the panel.

Articles of Interest

Decongestants and Hypertension: Dangerous Together

Individuals with hypertension should be made aware that decongestants can elevate their BP.

FDA to Parents: Do Not Give Tots Cough and Cold Meds

The Food and Drug Administration warns that over-the-counter medications can produce potentially life-threatening side effects.

Nasal Sprays Can Bring on Vicious Cycle

But relief provided by nasal spray decongestants like Afrin and Neo-Synephrine comes at a price: the risk of rebound congestion caused by overuse and, for some people, a vicious cycle of overuse and dependence that feels like an addiction.

Some Cold Medicines May Have Higher-Than-Expected Levels of a Decongestant

Some experts said the finding of the unexpected interaction of acetaminophen and PE showed that over-the-counter drugs need to be tested more thoroughly before being allowed on the market.

The Cold-Medicine Racket

There are now hundreds of flashy "cold and flu" products, but still only a handful of simple, cheap ingredients. Here's one new way to cut through the noise.

Resources

A popular nasal decongestant doesn't actually relieve congestion, FDA advisers say

The leading decongestant used by millions of Americans looking for relief from a stuffy nose is no better than a dummy pill, according to government experts who reviewed the latest research on the long-questioned drug ingredient.