I came across an article a while back that said zinc was effective for sore throats as treatment (not sure about prevention, be careful not to take too much, it can be toxic and very upsetting to the stomach) and that vitamin C was pretty useless (but it's harmless to take some, so go ahead). I use elderberry extract to fight colds and the flu, it works well, but you need to take it within 24 hours of the symptoms starting for it to work. Hopefully you will feel better soon!