Kevin Costner swears by it [1] and my boyfriend won’t start the winter without it, but I’m still suspicious about Airborne’s cold-zapping powers. Developed by a teacher who was “sick of getting sick in the classroom,” Airborne’s effervescent tablets have become a staple for those who find themselves in stuffy indoor environments (think offices, airplanes, and gyms) thought to be the breeding ground for germs and bacteria.
To the great frustration of my pill-popping loved ones, I am hesitant to take anything that’s going to make me drowsy or that pledges to keep me wide awake. While I understand the occasional necessity of a painkiller like ibuprofen [2], I don’t enjoy the process of having my sinuses artificially dried out or my sore throat numbed out — it all makes me feel zoned out. With row upon row of traditional cold and flu medication clogging drugstore aisles, I can’t help but appreciate the herbal aspects of Ariborne’s formulation — called a “health formula.”
In addition to a collection of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, Airborne proudly boasts a “proprietary blend” of herbal extracts. Lonicera [3], Forsythia [4], Schizonepeta [5], Ginger, Chinese Vitex [6], Isatis Root [7], and Echinacea make up this mysterious herbal concoction.
The FDA does not require herbal remedies to meet specific health regulations and so Airborne is not required to reveal the amount of individual herbs used in its formula. This makes me slightly uncomfortable as herbs can react with each other and with any other medication that you may be taking. But the deal breaker for my relationship with Airborne stems not from the herbs, but from the product’s other ingredients. Airborne includes three artificial sweeteners, Sorbitol [8], sucralose [9], and acesulfame potassium [10].
As I battle through my first big cold of the season, I will continue to pass on the Airborne — and the Emergen-C [11] while I’m at it — and will stick with my regimen of hot tea, lots of water, oranges, and as much sleep as possible.
Is Airborne in your medicine cabinet? Do you have any natural cold remedies? Please share your thoughts in the Comments section below.