Cold Myths Debunked!

During the average lifetime each of us will suffer from around 200 colds — lasting, on average, nine days each — which works out to five years!

A weak immune system does NOT make you vulnerable
Massive cold symptoms are the product of a strong immune system, rather than a weak one.

Vitamin C doesn't help. At best, it only slightly reduces the duration of symptoms. The only time it might help is if you’re engaged in extreme physical exercise or exposed to extreme physical cold. Several studies have shown that soldiers, skiers and marathon runners in these situations who down a daily dose of 200mg of vitamin C have the risk of a cold reduced by half.

Wobbly pops HELP a cold. One or two drinks a day actually diminishes the likelihood of catching a cold. Non-drinkers are at far greater risk, though scientists don’t know why.

You can't catch a cold by kissing someone.For most cold viruses, the nose and eye are the main points of entry, spread by coughs and sneezes or by touching an infected surface with your hands.

Washing your clothes doesn't help either. Washing infected clothes may be one of the major transfer points in the home for germs. Even the simple act of putting underwear in the machine or transferring clothes from a washer to a dryer could put you at risk of E.coli on your hands. Washing eliminates 99 per cent of the bacteria, but if there are a million to begin with, that leaves some 10,000. And viruses — like those responsible for causing a cold — are even harder to wash out of fabric than ­bacteria. Cold viruses can lurk in places such as the tucks and folds of clothing, with handkerchiefs and children’s shirtsleeves particularly likely repositories.

Green Mucus is not a sign of a bacterial infection. But it is a sign the immune system is working properly. As the body recruits more and more virus-fighting white blood cells to the nose, the colour of the mucus changes from clear to ­yellow to green. This is because these cells carry green iron-containing enzymes. The greener the colour, the more robust the immune response.

Staying indoors won't protect you. One of the most likely sources is your computer mouse or desk at work. A study of the cold virus in offices found that 47 per cent of desktops, 46 per cent of computer mice and 45 per cent of telephones had cold viruses on them. The same research found that professions most at risk from cold germ spread included lawyers, teachers, accountants, bankers, radio DJs, doctors and TV producers.

Blowing your nose hard doesn't help. The stuffy feeling is due to ­swelling blood vessels in the nasal passages. Perhaps more importantly, studies show that forceful nose blowing ­propels viscous nasal fluid, with its load of viruses, bacteria, and inflammatory chemicals, into the sinuses, where secondary bacterial infections may take hold. So it’s best to blow gently, one nostril at a time.

Antibacterial soap still isn't the best. The germs which cause a cold are viruses, not bacteria — which is why antibiotics have no effect on colds. An alcohol-based hand sanitiser, however, is a decent alternative.

Dressing in warm clothes won't protect you.Colds are more common in autumn and winter because the cooler, wetter weather drives people indoors, where viruses may more easily jump from one person to the next.

Chicken Soup is good for you! The Old Wives tale is right... A pulmonary specialist conducted an informal study to determine if chicken soup would reduce the movement of neutrophils, cells drawn to sites of infection and which in turn trigger inflammation. He found that it did — although he couldn’t pinpoint the components responsible. Many canned soups appeared to be just as efficient as homemade ones.

Echinacea isn't much use. While some research suggests that the leaves and flowers of one strain (purpurea) may have a small effect on reducing cold symptoms, recent better-designed studies find that the herb does little to shorten colds or relieve symptoms.

Socializing won't put you at risk. Although you might think coming into contact with a broad range of people could increase your risk, a wide social group contributes to a more positive, healthy outlook — and ­sociable people produce fewer pro-inflammatory chemicals in response to cold viruses.

Older people don't get more sniffles. In almost everyone, susceptibility to colds declines over time. This is largely because they will have been exposed to more colds and therefore developed more antibodies to common cold viruses than younger people.

Drinking fluids makes little difference. However, drinking normal amounts of water, juice, broth, and other clear fluids can help to loosen congestion and certainly prevents dehydration.

You won't lose weight with a cold. There are at least five ­families of cold viruses, among them the adenoviruses. A shocking new finding points to some kinds of ­adenoviruses being capable of triggering not just a blocked nose but obesity. Three types of adenovirus normally spur symptoms of the common cold, but in 20 per cent of people they may also affect the rate of fat-cell formation. Essentially this means they play a role in changing stem cells (essentially ‘precursor’ cells, which can turn into other cells such as fat, blood — even bone) into fat cells, so those infected with the virus gain weight faster than non-infected ­people who eat the same amount.

Blame your genes! Over the past five or ten years, ­scientists have discovered genetic variations that may explain why some people suffer many more colds than normal. It seems there are differences in their receptor cells — to which rhinoviruses attach as they ‘invade the body’ — and in the amounts of inflammatory chemicals their bodies make.

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