Cold and flu season is officially here, which means more people are looking for ways to support their immune systems and reduce their chances of getting sick. Recent research has shown zinc to be a popular mineral in the treatment of COVID-19, but zinc has been around far before the pandemic began. Studies have shown that supplementing with zinc may lessen the duration of a cold and severity of the symptoms, even if a person is not deficient in the nutrient. This is no surprise as zinc plays a huge role in our immune health - it is crucial for normal development and function of cells mediating innate immunity.