with cold and Flu During the full swing, a pharmacist explained which Medicines to get rid of.
Dr. Grant HartingLicensed pharmacist and founder of CrushCost. Theraflu at the top of the list.
The serious cold relief and chest congestion syrup, which retails for $11.99, has ‘flu’ in the name, but it’s ‘unfortunately not helpful,’ explains Dr Harting.
A look at the list of active ingredients on the back of the bottle suggests that the concoction contains a combination of the mild pain reliever acetaminophen, the pain reliever guaifenesin used to treat chest congestion, and dextromethorphan. Cough relief.
‘How about helping the flu now?’ He chuckles as he puts the bottle of Teraflu back on the shelf. Tiktok Video.
Next, Dr. Harting recommends Vicks Nyquil Severe Cold and Flu Liquid Capsules, which retail for $16.99 for 24.
He says the cold medicine, which is “everyone’s favorite,” has “great packaging” but the ingredient doesn’t do much to cure your illness.
Dr. Grant Harting, licensed pharmacist and founder of CrushCost, went into Walgreens to reveal which popular over-the-counter medications are ‘wastes of money’.
Like Theraflu, Nyquil capsules contain a combination of acetaminophen and dextromethorphan, with the added ingredients doxylamine – an antihistamine – and phenylephrine, which Dr Harting says ‘does nothing directly’ for constipation.
Panning the camera over the shelves to show the different NyQuil options available, Dr. Harting exclaims, “And look how many different variations there are, oh my goodness!” he shouted.
He continued, surveying the produce in turn: ‘I mean, it’s funny. It’s like I’m watching a dystopian pharmacist’s nightmare…just kidding, this is real life.’
Dr Harting sings of some other products, deeming Musinex ‘just as rubbish’, while Delcim is ‘not much better’.
He pointed to a recent study of children and adults with respiratory diseases such as bronchitis.
The study found no difference in cough relief compared to placebo.
The drug, which has more than 600,000 followers on TikTok – says all of the above cold and flu drugs are ‘strange combinations of the same pair of things’.
Meanwhile, Delsym, a liquid medication that costs $15 to $28, contains dextromethorphan for cough relief.
Before Dr. Harting finished his tirade, Boiron labeled Oscillococcinium – priced at 17.99 for six doses – the ‘worst’ cold medicine.
First on his ‘cutting block’ is Theraflu Heavy Cold Relief and Chest Congestion Syrup, priced at $11.99.
Before Dr. Harting ends his tirade, Boiron Oscillococcinum – $17.99 for 6 Doses – ‘Worst’ Cold Medicine
Homeopathic flu medicine was invented by French physician Joseph Roy in the early 1900s and is made from the heart and liver of wild ducks.
Today, sales in the U.S. are worth more than $20 million a year.
But Mr Harting told the audience: “This is literally nothing. I bought it and I’m going to try it this flu season and assure everyone it doesn’t work.’
To finish, Sudafed ‘PE’ is also thrown into the ‘waste’ pile.
In the video, Mr. Hartings picks up a $21.99 package designed to combat cold headaches and munchies.
The medical experts highlight that ‘Sudafed PE is different from Sudafed’.
He says that Sudafed PE, which contains the depressant pseudoephedrine, is ‘good’, but Sudafed PE, which is made with the antihistamine phenylephrine, is ineffective.
Putting Mr. Harting around phenylephrine, the FDA recently announced it wants to pull common cold and flu medications from pharmacy shelves because phenylephrine — the main ingredient — is ineffective at relieving symptoms when taken orally.
The agency recommended stopping the use of phenylephrine in non-prescription products – such as Vicks Synex, certain types of Sudafed and Benadryl – because it is ‘not effective’.
The FDA began reviewing the use of phenylephrine in March 2023 and concluded that it is no more effective than placebo when taken orally.
When phenylephrine is metabolized in the gut, it cannot reach sufficient levels into the bloodstream, rendering it ineffective in providing relief.
This is only a ‘planned order’ and will not have an immediate effect on the medicines.
In support of Mr. Harting in the phenylephrine area, the FDA recently announced it wants to pull common cold and flu medications from pharmacy shelves after studies show phenylephrine — the main ingredient — is ineffective in relieving symptoms.
The ‘final order’ alone will affect the products sold, which will have a significant impact on the $1.8 billion in sales generated by these drugs.
The FDA added: ‘The proposed order is based on efficacy concerns, not safety concerns.’
Instead of popular cold and flu remedies, Dr. Harting recommends ‘pure, uncut zinc oxide’ at the end of the video.
Some studies have suggested that zinc supplements may reduce the severity and duration of symptoms of the common cold.
However, according to the Mayo Clinic, zinc did not work in all studies.
He concludes: Researchers can’t say why zinc works in some studies and not others. There are still questions about which type of zinc works best. Research does not show what zinc dosage is best.
The zinc limit for adults is less than 40 mg per day unless prescribed by their health care provider.
‘The safest option is to talk to your provider before using zinc when you have a cold.’
