Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
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Product Reviews of Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)
Product Review: Beware the aspartame!
Summary: 2 Stars
I have used this product a number of times and have recommended it to friends and family. However, I have stopped doing so without first mentioning that it contains ASPARTAME, a chemical additive I now avoid at all costs. I know many people avoid this dangerous chemical as well, so I can no longer recommend Airborne without this warning. Why don't they get rid of the chemical additives and just use a natural sweetner? After all, isn't the point of this product to use something "natural" to fight colds, rather than pop pills?Product Review: Breakdown of ingredients: benefits/toxicities
Summary: 1 Stars
Airborne.... Miracle worker???
Here's what I think...
I have listed the ingredients and explain each one with regards to benefits and drawbacks.
5 calories.... Save if for a piece of gum
100% vitamin A- deficiencies lead to night blindness due to the prescence of this in rhodopsin, a retinal pigment. This is very common in most vegetables and especially in beta carotene rich plants (carrots...). Beta carotene is the most common form in vitamins because it is a precursor and is harmless in excess amount. Airborne has it in the form of retinyl acetate, the active form of which being a fat soluble vitamin, can be toxic in excess. Symptoms of overdose include hair loss, headaches, and nausea. Regarding taking supplements for immediate usage, your liver stores about 2 years worth of vitamin A, rendering this dose moot.
1670% vitamin C- possibly shown to reduce the longevity of the common cold (questionable) , high levels of this are available in many fruits. In high amounts, this increases your risk of kidney stones. In oranges, there is enough citrate to counter this negative effect, but citrate is available in only small quantities in this "drug." At a dose every 3 hours, kidney stones can become more and more of a risk. Often used in oxidation/reduction reactions.
Vitamin E is also a fat soluble vitamin, with toxicity in high amounts. Acts as an antioxidant and is readily available in nuts, grains, and vegetable oils.
Magnesium(essential to nucleic acid structure), Zinc (often prosthetic group as in zinc fingers of DNA synth), Selenium (cofactor for reduction of antioxidant enzymes), and Manganese are all heavy metals and micronutrients. All heavy metals are highly toxic in high amounts and have detrimental effects on the central nervous system. Of considerable interest, there is 3 mg of manganese per tablet. As the recommended daily intake is around 2 mg, and the upper tolerable limit is about 9-11 mg, if taken as directed (take one and may repeat every 3 hours), one can easily get into dangerous levels of this metal with no benefit in the higher dose.
Potassium is an essential nutrient that Airborne contains a negligible amount of (2%) thus having no use.
"A medical study (Taylor et al. 2003[1].) demonstrated that when echinacea products made from the entire plant (not just the root) were taken after the second cold symptom appeared they provided no measurable beneficial effect for children in treating the severity or duration of symptoms caused by the common cold virus. Studies by the University of Virginia School of Medicine (Turner, 2005 [2]) confirmed these results, and added that Echinacea had no clinically significant effects on the common cold even if taken immediately upon infection, or as a prophylaxis starting a week prior to symptoms of infection."
Lonicera is the genus of the honeysuckle, a shrub or vine that some species produce poisonous berries. No beneficial effects have been noted.
Forsythia- "In the absence of serious clinical trials, efficacy should be regarded at best debatable"
Schizonepeta, Ginger, Chinese Vitex, Isatis Root are under the same heat as ineffective plants with no evidence of beneficence.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is present which is common in green leafy vegetables.
The amino acids contained are glutamine and lysine. I find it hilarious that glutamine is included as this is an unessential amino acid that is readily made by the body. Furthermore, it is an amino acid with an extra amine group making it doubly costly in ridding of nitrogenous wastes and stressing the kidneys when in excess. Lysine is an essential amino acid with is commonly found in legumes, green leafy vegetables, and meat product (especially fish).
So... think what you want, and take what you want, but in terms of "boosting" your immune system, this product will not do any of the sort; if anything, a deficiency in any of these vitamins or micronutrients will reduce the effectiveness of your immune system. So whether you would consider not lowering immune effectiveness as "boosting" is your choice, but I think otherwise. The mind is a powerful thing, and the placebo effect has been shown time and again to be a powerful "drug." If swallowing something you think will help helps, go for it. On a purely chemical standpoint, you might as well save money and stick to your flintstone chewables or good ole centrum.
Product Review: Chlorine anyone?
Summary: 1 Stars
This product is deceiving. It is NOT a natural product. It contains Splenda... a product that is essentially chlorine.
I, personally, cannot imagine trying to heal myself with chlorine. I hope consumers are smart enough to agree.
Product Review: Disappointing results and a little scary . . .
Summary: 1 Stars
I recently took Airborne when I was feeling a cold coming on AND had to board a plane for a business trip several days later.
The cold had moved to my chest before I left on my trip and I didn't feel any better for over a week.
The scary part for me is that this stuff does not easily clean out of a glass. I have one glass that I ran through the dishwasher 6 times and there is still residue from this stuff. It has taken an immense amount of scrubbing to get this stuff off of my glasses. I am always leery about putting something in my body that doesn't come off a dish washed in super hot water with serious detergent!
Regarding the other comments about the amount of vitamins in the tablets. Extended use of large quantities of vitamin C have been linked to kidney damage - so I would be extremely cautious of taking this for longer than a couple of days . . .
Product Review: Doesn't Work
Summary: 1 Stars
I took this product when my wife was showing the first signs of a cold and flu and BEFORE I had any symptoms. Despite taking 20 tablets, per directions, I still caught my wife's cold and flu. Don't waste your money!