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Winter hits, your training block ramps up, and half the gym is sniffling. It is the time of year people start asking whether vitamin C and zinc are worth taking.
Here is the honest answer. For people who train hard, there is a real finding behind vitamin C. Zinc has decent evidence in lozenge form at the start of a cold. Neither makes you bulletproof, but both may support normal immune function when your body is under load.
The short answer
- Vitamin C: in a Cochrane review, regular vitamin C roughly halved the risk of catching a cold in people under heavy physical stress, such as marathon runners. In the general population it did very little.
- Zinc: lozenges taken at the first sign of a cold shortened colds in trials. Daily zinc from food or a supplement supports normal immune function.
- Together: yes, they are fine to take at the same time.
- Easy pick: Pillar Vitamin C + Zinc for a simple daily tablet, or Ultra Immune C if you also want vitamin D3.
Vitamin C: the heavy-exercise finding
The best evidence here comes from a 2013 Cochrane review by Hemila and Chalker. It pooled trials where people took vitamin C every day, before they got sick.
For most people, daily vitamin C did not meaningfully change how often they caught colds. But one group stood out: people under heavy short-term physical stress. Marathon runners, skiers and soldiers training hard saw their cold risk roughly halved.
That is the group you belong to if you are deep in a training block or race prep. It is a genuine reason for active Kiwis to take vitamin C seriously through winter.
Two caveats keep this honest. The finding is about regular daily intake, so starting vitamin C once you already feel rough has not shown a consistent benefit. And the heavy-exercise trials were a smaller set, so treat it as a helpful nudge, not a promise. If you are weighing up formats, we compare liposomal vs regular vitamin C in a separate guide.
Zinc: lozenges at cold onset, and daily intake
Zinc's strongest research is oddly specific. A 2017 analysis by Hemila found that zinc lozenges, dissolved slowly in the mouth and started at the first sign of a cold, shortened how long colds lasted.
Note the word lozenge. A swallowed tablet works differently, so do not expect a daily vitamin C and zinc tablet to copy those lozenge results.
Daily zinc still matters. It plays a role in normal immune function, and you get it from red meat, shellfish, dairy and legumes. People who eat little meat or train long hours may want to keep an eye on their intake. A daily supplement is a simple way to cover the gap.
Taking them together, and the upper limits
Yes, you can take vitamin C and zinc together. Many products combine them for exactly that reason. Take them with food, because zinc on an empty stomach can leave some people feeling queasy.
On limits: adults should stay under 40mg of zinc a day from all sources, and very large vitamin C doses, over about 2g a day, mostly just upset your stomach.
If you are also thinking about vitamin D through the darker months, our guide to vitamin D dosage covers how much makes sense.
Pillar Vitamin C + Zinc vs Ultra Immune C
Pillar Performance makes both options we recommend, and they suit slightly different people.
| Vitamin C + Zinc | Ultra Immune C | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Tablet | Tropical-flavoured powder |
| Per serve | 1000mg vitamin C, 15mg zinc | 1g vitamin C, plus vitamin D3 and zinc |
| Best for | A simple, no-mixing daily habit | Winter, when you want D3 in the same drink |
The tablet is the no-fuss choice. One a day with breakfast, done.
Ultra Immune C is a powder you stir into water or juice. It adds vitamin D3 alongside the vitamin C and zinc, which makes sense in a Kiwi winter with short days. It also comes as an Ultra Immune C refill pouch with the same formula and a 5g scoop, in lower-waste packaging.
Our honest take: if you just want the vitamin C research working for you, the tablet is enough. If you are not getting much sun and would otherwise buy a separate vitamin D, the powder saves you a product.
Where NZ Supps fits
Both Pillar products live in our everyday health collection, with the rest of the range under Pillar health and wellness. If you are building a broader daily routine, browse our greens and vitamins too.
Supplements are the last layer, not the first. Sleep, eating enough to fuel your training, and managing big training jumps matter more. Our guide to staying healthy in a hard block covers those basics, and the Find Your Stack quiz can fit vitamin C and zinc around the rest of your routine.
FAQ
Can you take vitamin C and zinc together? Yes. There is no known problem with taking them at the same time, and plenty of products combine them in one tablet or scoop. Take them with food, because zinc on an empty stomach can make some people feel queasy.
Do vitamin C and zinc actually work? It depends on who you are. Regular vitamin C roughly halved cold risk in people under heavy physical stress, such as marathon runners, but did little for the general population. Zinc lozenges taken at the first sign of a cold shortened colds in trials. Neither is a guarantee, but both may support normal immune function.
When is the best time to take vitamin C and zinc? With a meal, at whatever time you will remember every day. Breakfast works well for most people. The vitamin C research is about regular daily intake, so consistency matters more than the exact hour.
How much zinc is too much? The upper limit for adults is 40mg of zinc a day from all sources, including food. A 15mg tablet sits well under that, but count any other zinc products you take so you do not stack past it.
Should I get Pillar Vitamin C + Zinc or Ultra Immune C? Pick the tablet if you want the simplest daily habit with no mixing. Pick Ultra Immune C if you also want vitamin D3 in the same serve and do not mind a tropical drink, which suits the darker winter months.
