From wet socks to potatoes: Social media offers questionable cold remedies

Public interest in Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (as the World Health Organization refers to it) is on the rise. Nearly half of the population in developed countries is turning to these sorts of remedies and practices, according to Medicina.^[] This form of medicine includes everything from herbal tinctures and tai chi to meditation and acupuncture.

This growing interest in the holistic goes hand in hand with a surge of misinformation around home remedies in particular, especially on social media, where inaccurate claims spread quickly. Researchers reporting in the Journal of Medical Internet Research found that 30 percent of social media inaccuracies center on medical treatments for health conditions.^[] Your patients may even be among those consuming this type of media, so here’s what you should know.

Sleeping with potatoes against the feet

One of the more popular cold- and flu-fighting remedies making the rounds on social media? Sleeping with sliced, raw potatoes placed against the soles of feet (and held in place with a sock). According to one TikTok video, liked by nearly 300,000 people and shared more than 50,000 times, this practice aims to “remove toxins” from the body. The practice purportedly dates back to the bubonic plague outbreak during the Middle Ages, although this isn’t verified. 

Here is what we do know: The potato has been around for thousands of years—and it offers plenty of benefits when consumed. It boasts carbohydrates, vitamins C and B6, potassium, and antioxidants. Any health benefits come from eating the potatoes (with better bioavailability coming from consuming them baked, boiled, or steamed)—not placing them against the feet.^[] 

No matter how many claims have been made about this practice’s success, potatoes simply can’t draw out toxins nor cure a virus, says Theodore John Strange, MD, at Northwell Health and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at Staten Island University Hospital. “This remedy hasn’t been shown to work. It’s not going to end up hurting you, but there’s no data to back this up,” says Strange. 

Onion syrup to cure colds and coughs

Potatoes aren’t the only thing people are reaching for. People also mix onions and sugar to make cough syrup. The onions are well-coated in sugar and placed in a jar for 12 hours. The liquid that the sugar pulls from the onions is used as a syrup to ward away a cough, according to enthusiasts.

There is some basis to this remedy, though Strange doesn’t recommend it. Onion, for one, has long been associated with health benefits. The journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that onion, when inhaled or taken as a supplement with garlic, may improve cough and flu symptoms.^[] Dr. Strange also adds that while garlic is a source of antioxidants, there’s no evidence that it’s a cure for the cold or flu. 

Oranges to cure the common cold

People have long turned to oranges during cold and flu season. Recently, videos on TikTok showcase an orange “cold hack” involving mixing warmed liquid from an orange with salt and honey, while other people choose to megadose vitamin C. 

“Citrus fruits, like oranges, are high in vitamin C,” says Lisa Richards, CNC. “This may boost the immune system.” She also adds that honey has antimicrobial properties and may help to soothe a sore throat. A study in Evidence Based Medicine found that honey can improve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections, especially cough—so you can encourage your patients that honey may be helpful.^[] 

That said, your patients should know that there’s no consensus on vitamin C as a cold cure, and large doses of vitamin C cannot prevent a cold. ^[] 

Dr. Strange suggests, instead, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy diet all of the time—not just during the cold season. “Patients should be eating leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, and grains, which are natural immune boosters,” Strange says.

Wearing wet socks to reduce a fever

Proponents of this remedy believe that wearing a pair of cold, wet socks with a second pair of wool socks on top for 20 minutes—or until the socks warm to body temperature—will reduce a fever. There are no clinical studies that show that this method can, in fact, reduce a fever.

Your patients and the placebo effect

Talking openly about the benefits and limits of folk remedies with your patients is a good idea—since people are often influenced by the things they hear about on social media. For a lot of people, simply taking action—by putting potatoes in their socks or brewing a homemade syrup—is helpful, because of the placebo effect.

“The placebo effect does help people,” Strange says. “If the patient believes something works, and if it’s not hurting them, then it may make them feel better. But we do have to be honest with patients. We shouldn’t be espousing things that don’t work.”