Research appearing in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiologic Therapeutics (1999;22(8):530-533) looked at the effect vitamin C supplementation had in students between the ages of 18 and 32 with a respiratory infection. The test group, consisting of 252 students received 1000 mg of vitamin C for the first six hours of the infection and 1000 mg of vitamin C three times each day following the initial dose. A control group, consisting of 432 students, was given decongestant medication and pain relievers. Overall, reported flu and cold symptoms in the test group decreased 85%, but not in the control group. Vitamin C supplementation was shown to be effective in relieving the symptoms of a respiratory infection.