Agave syrup no better than placebo cough remedy

Conclusion This RCT compared the efficacy of agave nectar, placebo or no treatment for night-time cough in children aged between two and 47 months old. Agave nectar and placebo both provided more relief from cough symptoms than no treatment, but there was no difference in relief between agave nectar and placebo. It's possible that as parents were assessing their children’s symptoms, this study could be an example of the placebo effect. That is, parents who thought that they were giving their child some syrup, rather than giving nothing, felt that it helped their child’s symptoms. Equally, it is possible that giving something to swallow – either syrup or plain water – is better than nothing at helping to ease a child’s cough. All children included in this study had a cough for less than a week and other cold-like symptoms, such as runny nose or congestion. This is likely due to a viral infection and requires no specific treatment. There is no good evidence that over-the-counter cough medicines actually work against an acute cough. The Medicines Regulatory Agency in the UK currently advises that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines shouldn’t be given to children under six years. Honey also shouldn’t be given to children aged under one. The best thing you can do to help a young child with a cough or cold is to make sure that they stay well hydrated with plenty of warm drinks. The study does highlight the remarkable impact the placebo effect can have in certai...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Medication Pregnancy/child Heart/lungs Source Type: news