Best Natural Cough Remedies and Cough Suppressants

This guide covers natural cough remedies such as honey, thyme tea, marshmallow root, ginger, saltwater gargles, and steam inhalation, plus two over-the-counter options: dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant) and guaifenesin (an expectorant that thins mucus). A 2021 systematic review published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that honey reduced cough frequency and severity more than usual care in upper respiratory infections. Below, we break down each option with the clinical evidence behind it so you can choose the best medicine for a bad cough based on your symptoms.

Medically reviewed by Matthew Olesiak, MD, on September 24, 2026.

What Causes a Cough

A cough is your body’s reflex for clearing irritants from your airways. It can show up as a dry, tickling cough or a wet, productive one that brings up mucus. Knowing the difference matters more than most people think, because the best treatment for each type isn’t the same.

Dry Cough vs. Productive Cough

A dry cough produces no mucus. It often results from viral infections, allergies, acid reflux, or irritants like smoke and dust. That persistent tickle in your throat? It can wreck your sleep and make it hard to concentrate during the day.

A productive (wet) cough brings up phlegm or mucus from your lungs and airways. This type usually signals a chest cold, bronchitis, or sinus drainage. And here’s the thing: productive coughs actually serve a purpose. They help your body clear out infection and debris. So suppressing them isn’t always the right call.

Acute vs. Chronic Cough

An acute cough is a short-term cough, often from a cold. Cleveland Clinic advises seeing a healthcare provider for a cough that lasts longer than a few weeks or gets worse over time.

A chronic cough persists beyond eight weeks in adults (four weeks in children). Common causes include asthma, postnasal drip, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and certain medications like ACE inhibitors. If you’ve been coughing for two months straight, don’t just keep reaching for lozenges. Get it evaluated.

Best Natural Cough Remedies

Natural remedies work best for acute coughs caused by colds and mild respiratory infections. Honey has the most clinical research behind it, so it comes first.

Honey

Honey is often dismissed as a folk cure, but it has been tested in clinical trials.

A 2018 Cochrane review of six randomized controlled trials involving 899 children found that honey probably reduces cough frequency more than no treatment or placebo (moderate-certainty evidence) and may have a similar effect to dextromethorphan (low-certainty evidence) (Oduwole et al., Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2018).

A separate 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine (Abuelgasim, Albury, and Lee) included 14 studies. Compared with usual care, honey improved cough frequency (eight studies, standardized mean difference -0.36).

Important warning: never give honey to a child younger than 1 year, because of the risk of infant botulism (CDC). Follow the product label or ask a pharmacist or doctor about amounts.

Thyme Tea

The trial evidence for thyme (Thymus vulgaris) comes from a syrup that combined thyme with ivy leaf extract.

A 2006 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in Arzneimittelforschung (Kemmerich et al.) tested a thyme-ivy fluid extract combination in adults with acute bronchitis. On days 7 to 9, daytime coughing fits fell by 68.7% in the thyme-ivy group versus 47.6% with placebo, and a 50% reduction was reached two days earlier. The trial included 361 adults.

Marshmallow Root

Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis) contains mucilage, a gel-like substance that coats and soothes irritated throat tissue. If you’ve got a dry, scratchy cough that won’t quit, this one’s worth trying.

Two 2018 consumer surveys published in Complementary Medicine Research (Fink, Schmidt, and Kraft) asked 822 people who bought marshmallow root lozenges or syrup for dry cough how well they worked, and users reported good relief. These were surveys without a comparison group, not controlled trials.

Ginger

In a 2013 lab study in the American Journal of Respiratory Cell and Molecular Biology (Townsend et al.), ginger and some of its compounds (6-gingerol, 8-gingerol, and 6-shogaol) relaxed isolated human airway smooth muscle. That was tissue in a lab, not a trial in people with a cough.

Ginger tea with honey and lemon is a warm drink option.

Peppermint

Peppermint contains menthol, a natural decongestant. That cooling sensation you feel? It temporarily opens nasal passages and soothes throat irritation. The American Lung Association lists peppermint tea among helpful remedies for managing cough symptoms at home. Menthol is also the active ingredient in many OTC cough drops and throat lozenges, so you’ve probably used it without realizing.

Peppermint tea is another warm drink option. Keep essential oils away from infants and young children, and ask a pharmacist before using them.

Steam Inhalation

Breathing in warm, moist air loosens mucus in your nasal passages and chest. Simple, cheap, and it works fast. A humidifier or a bowl of steaming water does the job. The Mayo Clinic Health System recommends a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier to add moisture to your home when you’re dealing with cough and cold symptoms.

Fill a bowl with hot (not boiling) water. Drape a towel over your head, lean over the bowl, and breathe in the steam. Keep children away from hot water.

Saltwater Gargle

Old-school and effective. Gargling with warm salt water draws moisture out of swollen throat tissues, reducing inflammation and loosening mucus. The Mayo Clinic includes saltwater gargles in its list of cold remedies that may help relieve symptoms.

A saltwater gargle is only for people old enough to gargle and spit without swallowing.

If you’re looking for cough supplements that combine several of these ingredients, our review team has evaluated the top products on the market.

Best OTC Cough Suppressants and Expectorants

When natural remedies aren’t cutting it, OTC cough medications can provide stronger relief. There are two main categories: suppressants (antitussives) and expectorants. Which one you want depends on whether your cough is dry or productive.

Dextromethorphan (Cough Suppressant)

Dextromethorphan (DXM) is an antitussive. According to MedlinePlus, it works by decreasing activity in the part of the brain that causes coughing, and it relieves a cough but does not treat its cause or speed recovery. You’ll find it in Robitussin DM and Delsym, among others.

Best for: Dry, non-productive coughs that keep you up at night or interfere with your day.

Dosage: follow the Drug Facts label, and ask a pharmacist if you are unsure.

Side effects: MedlinePlus lists dizziness, lightheadedness, drowsiness, nervousness, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain.

Guaifenesin (Expectorant)

Guaifenesin is an expectorant. According to MedlinePlus, it thins the mucus in the air passages so it is easier to cough up, but it does not treat the cause or speed recovery. A 2017 review calls it the only legally marketed expectorant in the US. Mucinex is one brand.

The evidence is mixed. A 2017 review in Multidisciplinary Respiratory Medicine (Albrecht et al., one of whose authors works for Reckitt Benckiser) supports its use for wet cough and chest congestion. But a 2014 trial in Respiratory Care (Hoffer-Schaefer et al., 378 adolescents and adults with a chest infection) found no difference from placebo in sputum volume or thickness, and symptoms improved similarly in both groups.

Best for: Productive (wet) coughs with thick mucus or chest congestion.

Dosage: follow the Drug Facts label, and ask a pharmacist if you are unsure.

Important note: Avoid suppressing a productive cough completely. Coughing up mucus helps clear infection from your lungs. If you’ve got a wet cough, an expectorant is almost always a better choice than a suppressant.

For a closer look at top cough suppressant products, see our cough supplement reviews.

Honey as a Cough Suppressant: What Research Shows

Honey deserves its own section. Randomized trials have compared it with no treatment, placebo, and cough medicines such as dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine.

The most rigorous evidence comes from the 2018 Cochrane review (Oduwole et al.), which pooled data from six RCTs and 899 children. The review concluded that honey probably reduces cough frequency more than no treatment or placebo, and may have a similar effect to dextromethorphan, based on low-certainty evidence.

Then there’s the 2007 study in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (Paul et al.) that compared buckwheat honey, honey-flavored DXM, and no treatment in 105 children ages 2 to 18. Parents rated honey most favorably, and honey beat no treatment for cough frequency. Honey and dextromethorphan did not differ significantly from each other.

The 2021 BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine meta-analysis (Abuelgasim et al.) found that honey improved combined symptom scores compared with usual care (three studies, mean difference -3.96). The authors wrote that honey “provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics” and called for more high-quality placebo-controlled trials.

Safety limits: Never give honey to a child younger than 1 year (CDC, infant botulism risk).

Looking for healthy cough syrup alternatives that pair honey with other natural ingredients? Browse our cough and respiratory supplement category for options reviewed by our editorial team.

When to See a Doctor

Most acute coughs clear up within one to three weeks on their own. But some symptoms are red flags. See a doctor if you experience any of these:

• A cough that lasts longer than a few weeks or gets worse over time
• Coughing up blood or blood-tinged mucus
• A fever that lasts more than a day or two
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chest pain not related to the act of coughing itself
• Wheezing or a whistling sound when you breathe
• Unexplained weight loss alongside a persistent cough
• Worsening symptoms after you started getting better (could indicate a secondary bacterial infection)

According to the Cleveland Clinic, a cough that gets worse over time or brings up yellow, green, or bloody mucus is a reason to see a healthcare provider.

For people with nerve-related discomfort or chronic conditions, persistent coughing can aggravate existing symptoms. Our resource on vitamins and supplements for nerve regeneration covers supportive nutrients that may help with overall recovery.

Natural Cough Remedies for Children

Children’s coughs need a different approach, and this is one area where being cautious really matters. The FDA says children younger than 2 should not get OTC cough and cold products, and manufacturers voluntarily label these products “Do not use in children under 4 years of age.”

Safe Options by Age

Children under 12 months: The FDA suggests a cool mist humidifier (not warm mist), saline nose drops, and nasal suctioning with a bulb syringe, which it says works very well for children younger than a year old. Call your pediatrician about any cough in a young baby.

Children ages 1 to 5: Honey is an option from age 1 (CDC advises no honey before 1 year). The 2018 Cochrane review covered children aged 12 months to 18 years. The FDA also suggests a cool mist humidifier and plenty of liquids. Ask your pediatrician about amounts.

Children ages 6 and older: Honey, warm drinks, and saltwater gargles (once a child can gargle and spit) are common options. If you use an OTC medicine, follow the Drug Facts label and check with a pharmacist about interactions.

What to Avoid

• Honey for infants under 12 months (botulism risk)
• OTC cough medicines for children under 4 (per FDA guidance)
• Codeine-containing products for anyone under 18 (in 2018 the FDA limited prescription opioid cough and cold medicines to adults 18 and older)
• Eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils on young children’s faces (can cause breathing difficulty in infants)

If your child’s cough comes with high fever, rapid breathing, or blue-tinged lips, get to an emergency room. Don’t wait for a regular appointment. Those could be signs of pneumonia or another serious respiratory condition.

Parents managing multiple health concerns can also explore our guides to supplements for digestive health and gut health supplements for a broader approach to children’s wellness.

Stubborn coughs sometimes have a gut component: reflux, food sensitivities, or post-nasal drip driven by gut inflammation. The gut-immune-respiratory axis is well documented, and improving gut function quietly improves how the lungs feel. See our guide on reducing gut inflammation and bloat for the upstream piece.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best medicine for a bad cough?

It depends on the type of cough. For a dry cough, dextromethorphan (found in Robitussin DM and Delsym) is an OTC cough suppressant. For a wet, productive cough with mucus, guaifenesin (Mucinex) is an OTC expectorant that thins mucus. For a natural alternative, the 2018 Cochrane review found honey may make little or no difference compared with dextromethorphan in children, based on low-certainty evidence.

Does honey actually work for cough?

Yes. A 2021 systematic review in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine analyzed 14 studies and found honey reduced cough frequency and severity compared to usual care. A 2018 Cochrane review of 6 trials with 899 children found honey may make little or no difference compared with dextromethorphan. Do not give honey to children younger than 1 year, because it can contain the bacteria that cause botulism (CDC).

What is a healthy cough syrup alternative?

Honey mixed with warm water or herbal tea (thyme, ginger, or peppermint) is the most studied healthy cough syrup option. Marshmallow root syrup is another option for dry, irritating coughs because its mucilage coats the throat. For curated product recommendations, visit our cough supplement review page.

Can I take a cough suppressant and expectorant together?

Many combination products (like Mucinex DM) contain both guaifenesin and dextromethorphan. The expectorant thins mucus while the suppressant reduces the urge to cough. Ask your pharmacist before combining products, especially if you take other medications.

How long should a cough last before I see a doctor?

Cleveland Clinic advises contacting a healthcare provider if a cough lasts longer than a few weeks or gets worse over time, if a fever lasts more than a day or two, or if you cough up yellow, green, or bloody mucus. Get emergency care if you can’t breathe well or see a lot of blood when you cough.

Are OTC cough medicines safe for children?

The FDA says children under 2 should not be given any cough and cold product that contains a decongestant or antihistamine, and manufacturers label these products “do not use in children under 4 years of age.” Do not give honey to children under 1. In 2018 the FDA limited prescription cough and cold medicines containing codeine or hydrocodone to adults 18 and older.

What natural remedies help with mucus and chest congestion?

Guaifenesin is an OTC expectorant that thins the mucus in the airways so it is easier to cough up (MedlinePlus). Warm fluids, steam, and ginger tea are common home measures for chest congestion.

Medical Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The content on Consumer Health Guide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, treatment, or guidance. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before starting any new supplement, herbal remedy, or medication, especially for children, pregnant or nursing women, and individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. If you are experiencing severe or persistent symptoms, seek medical attention promptly. Individual results may vary. The information presented here reflects published clinical research and official medical guidelines as of March 2026.

Last updated: March 26, 2026 | Written by the Editorial Team | Consumer Health Guide | About Our Review Process