THE CLAIM Zinc can help fight off ear infections. THE FACTS As parents know, middle-ear infections are one of the most common and painful afflictions of childhood, striking three-quarters of children. One suggested remedy is zinc, which has a long history as a cold-fighting supplement. Zinc, a micronutrient (a nutrient the body needs only in small quantities), is said to help strengthen the immune system and to help ease and prevent infections. But in recent studies, scientists have failed to find much support for its effectiveness. One team of researchers combined data from 10 different randomized, placebo-controlled trials in which children were given zinc supplements at least once a week for a month to prevent ear infections. Overall, they found 'no convincing evidence' that those children fared any better than those given a placebo. The results were published last month in The Cochrane Database. One exception was in children who were malnourished; a study found that they had a lower risk of middle-ear infection after receiving zinc. But in otherwise healthy children the evidence was weak. In general, experts say, the best course of treatment is a mild pain reliever combined with a wait-and-see approach. About 85 percent of bacterial ear infections clear up on their own. But when that does not work, and symptoms are still present after a couple days, an antibiotic is usually in order. THE BOTTOM LINE Generally speaking, zinc does not appear to lower the risk of childhood ear infections. 