Vital signs

Zinc beats bugs

Zinc supplements may hasten the end of cold symptoms such as coughs, sore throats and aching heads, say researchers from Ohio in The Annals of Internal Medicine. Their study of 100 cold sufferers found that those given zinc lozenges every two hours recovered from cold symptoms in an average of 4.4 days, compared with about 7.6 days in those given a placebo. The researchers think that zinc may inhibit the replication of rhino viruses.

Cure in a curry

Turmeric, a yellow spice used in Indian cooking, can improve symptoms of a range of disorders including asthma, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis and Crohn's disease, says a report in The Journal of the American Botanical Council. It says that a German company has now applied for a patent to market turmeric products as medicines. An ingredient in the spice, called curcumin, is thought to have an antioxidant effect which inhibits inflammatory disorders.

A family joke

A set of six humorous postcards poking fun at parents and health professionals alike has been produced by the National Childbirth Trust. Drawn by Christine Roche, they are available from NCT Maternity Sales, 239 Shawbridge Street, Glasgow G43 1QN (0141 636 0600).

Distorted diet

A patient jumped out of an upstairs window after taking Ma Huang, a Chinese herbal diet supplement, psychiatrists from Northwick Park Hospital, Middlesex, report in The British Medical Journal. They state that the preparation, obtained by mail order and advertised as an energy tonic, contains ephedrine, which has been reported to induce psychosis. The patient suffered minor bruising.

Fish eaters prove healthier

Fish eaters may be healthier than vegetarians, state Italian scientists in The Lancet. Their study of two communities in Tanzania compared villagers who ate mainly fish with a mainly vegetarian farming community. Just under 3 per cent of the former had high blood pressure compared with more than 16 per cent of the vegetarians. Blood cholesterol levels of the fish eaters also tended to be lower.

Ban on beanbags

Polystyrene-filled beanbags may be dangerous to very young children, warn doctors in The American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. Their review of the deaths of 35 infants who were found face down on beanbags indicated that most cases were recorded as sudden infant death syndrome and that half the children died before the age of two months. Polystyrene- filled beanbags are now banned in the US but are still on sale in the UK.