Health or hype: Which decongestants actually work?

LONGWOOD, Fla. - It’s inevitable – you’re going to catch a cold.  But what will you take to make yourself feel better? 

Recently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the main ingredient found in many over-the-counter cold medicines, phenylephrine, doesn’t work. 

Dr. Mack Siegel says studies showed that when you take a pill with 10 milligrams or more, it doesn’t get to your nose, so you’re taking a nasal decongestant, but it doesn’t relieve the stuffiness.

RELATED: Popular nasal decongestant doesn't actually relieve congestion, say FDA experts

But here’s the good news, there are products that help. 

Dr. Chirag Panchal of Orlando Health says the main ingredient in a lot of nasal sprays relieve a stuffy nose. Look for sprays that contain oxymetazoline. 

The other ingredient that works is a medicine that contains pseudoephedrine. Dr. Panchal says it’s more powerful, but you will have to ask the pharmacist for it because it’s kept behind the counter. 

Some people FOX 35 spoke to also like to keep their remedies natural. 

Evok advertising executive Chris LeBlanc says he reaches for zinc and elderberry when he’s sick. 

Dr. Panchal says those are also good options. "I think that there is truth in things we have done in the past, right? So appropriate hydration, trying to get bland foods in, keeping your nutrition up while you're sick, cause most of don't eat while we're sick."