The Cold Hard Truth About Cold and Flu Tablets Cold and flu tablets have long been a staple in many households, but recent studies suggest that these medicines don't live up to their promises when it comes to relieving nasal congestion.
Phenylephrine, the most commonly used oral decongestant in these tablets, was once hailed as an effective alternative to pseudoephedrine, which had become increasingly difficult to obtain due to its misuse in illicit drug manufacture.
However, more recent research has shown that phenylephrine is essentially a placebo when taken orally.