Doctor Says This 1 Common OTC Medication Is A 'Waste Of Money'

We’ve already shared at HuffPost UK that some gut experts advise against getting colonic irrigation for non-medical reasons.

But while I was scrolling through TikTok yesterday, I came across a video that shocked me ― Doctor Ahmed, on the app as @dra_says, explained “three of the biggest health scams out there.” 

Number two (IV vitamin drips, which he says are likely more useful for their water content than their vitamins and can be dangerous) was out of my budget anyway; I hadn’t even heard of the third product. 

The first one, though, was cough syrup. 

What? 

“There’s no evidence they improve or get rid of a cough,” the doctor explained in his video. 

“In fact, the best thing for a cough is just honey and lemon in some warm water,” he added.

Naturally, I did an incredulous web search after hearing that and promptly found a lot of research suggesting he’s right.

Speaking to the University Hospital Southampton NHS, Dr Oliver Bevington, a senior registrar in paediatrics at Southampton Children’s Hospital, said: “The bottom line is there is absolutely no evidence that cough medicines work as there has been very little research with regards to their use and, potentially, they could actually do children more harm than good.”

A 2002 British Medical Journal (BMJ) study found that “Over-the-counter cough medicines for acute cough cannot be recommended because there is no good evidence for their effectiveness.” 

What? So should I get rid of it?

Dr. Bevington seems to think so ― if you’re treating kids with it, that is.

“A lot of cough and cold medicines contain active ingredients such as nasal decongestants, antihistamines and ‘cough suppressors’ that may, in large doses, have adverse effects or be toxic if consumed in large quantities – particularly to the under-6s who are much more susceptible,” he told the NHS.

He added that some medicines contain paracetamol, meaning you could accidentally cause your child to overdose on the drug.

For adults, CNN says that there may be something to be said for the fact that some cough medicines make you drowsy ― though you’re likely tired when ill anyway. 

But, while this can all sound a little extreme, the jury is technically out on the effectiveness of your favourite cough medicine. 

“It’s important to understand that these studies don’t say cough medicines don’t work. Rather, they’ve just found no proof that they do. It’s always possible that further studies could show that they help,” WebMD writes.

So, stick to your syrup if you like ― just don’t overdo it, be careful when administering it to kids, and if you want to save some cash, stick to warm water, lemon, and honey.