Preventing Colds and Flu Through Exercise

Exercise helps decrease your chances of developing heart disease. It also keeps your bones healthy and strong. Additionally, the latest studies show that physical activity may give a boost to the lungs and airways, reducing the risk of getting a cold, flu, or other illness.

Dr. Jessica Butts, who is a  primary care sports medicine physician at Penn State Health, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, said there are very good studies regarding exercise and immunity. “Having higher cardiorespiratory fitness and performing regular exercise of moderate to vigorous intensity has been shown to improve immune responses to vaccination, lower chronic low-grade inflammation, and improve immune markers in several disease states including cancer, HIV, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cognitive impairment and obesity,” said Dr Butts.

Exercise can affect white blood cells (WBCs). These are the body's immune system cells that fight disease.  Studies have shown that people who follow a moderately active lifestyle, benefit most from an exercise program. A moderate program can consist of bicycling a few times a week  or taking daily 20 to 30 minute walks. Exercise tends to make a person feel healthier and more energetic. This can contribute to feeling better about yourself. 

Dr. Butts said the standard exercise guidelines recommend a target of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week (30 minutes, five times per week), plus strength training at least twice per week. “However, this is not an all or nothing phenomenon. Studies consistently show that you can get health benefits from exercise even if you are not fully meeting the guidelines. Any physical activity is better than no activity. That applies to all ages,” said Dr. Butts.

Colds are typically minor infections of the nose and throat caused by more than 200 different respiratory viruses. Rhinoviruses are the most common cause of colds in the United States. Parainfluenza viruses, adenoviruses, enteroviruses, human metapneumovirus and common human coronaviruses also cause colds.

A cold may last for about one week, but some colds last longer in older adults who are in poor health. Colds are highly contagious and most commonly spread through droplets of fluid from an infected person sneezing or coughing. These droplets can enter your body through breathing them in or touching a contaminated surface then touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

What Works and What Doesn’t

There is no cure for the common cold.  Proven ways to treat cold symptoms include staying hydrated with warm beverages. Good choices include tea, or warm water with lemon, or broth. Drinking warm liquids can be soothing, prevent dehydration and ease congestion. 

Experts say it may be best to avoid salty foods, alcohol, coffee and sugary drinks, which can be dehydrating. Ice chips are another simple way to stay hydrated and help with a scratchy throat. A saltwater gargle with about 1 teaspoon of salt per cup of warm water can help reduce the pain and swelling of a sore throat.

Over-the-counter decongestants, antihistamines and pain relievers, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, can reduce some cold symptoms. However, skip the zinc tablets. There is no strong scientific evidence to support zinc’s cold-fighting reputation. In the 1980s, zinc products were marketed as treatments for the common cold and were particularly popular in the USA. Zinc is an essential mineral naturally found in many foods and plays a role in immune function. Most adults get enough zinc through their diets.

To test if zinc is useful in preventing or treating a cold, a team of researchers looked at 19 human trials examining zinc as a treatment and 15 as a preventative measure. The review found no strong evidence to conclude that zinc treatment impacts the severity of cold symptoms. The prevention studies showed no clear evidence of benefit from taking zinc before the onset of a cold.

At the first sign of cold symptoms, many adults may turn to vitamin C. However, there’s no scientific evidence that it has an effect on cold viruses. Antibiotics are designed to treat bacterial infections, not viruses. There are no antiviral medications available to treat the common cold. Antibiotics are not useful for treating a cold. They should only be taken to treat bacterial complications that arise from a cold.

Symptoms of the flu, COVID-19 and RSV are similar to the common cold, but they last longer, tend to be worse, and can have serious outcomes. The most common cause of the common cold, the rhinovirus, increases its chances of infecting someone who lacks immunity by simultaneously circulating many versions of itself, according to new research from the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

“With viruses like SARS-CoV-2 or influenza, one variant will dominate for a while and then another takes over, and it, in turn, is replaced by another,” said lead study investigator Dr. Alex Greninger, who is a professor of laboratory medicine and pathology. “Rhinovirus, on the other hand, appears to flood the zone with many discrete variants circulating in the community at the same time. It’s a way to overcome your defenses with sheer numbers.”

Although the rhinovirus is the most common cause of upper respiratory infections, relatively little is known about how it evolves and spreads. In their study, the researchers analyzed nasal swabs taken at Seattle-area collection sites during the COVID-19 pandemic. The team looked at samples gathered during two periods (spring and summer of 2021, when strict COVID-19 public health measures slowed the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and nearly eliminated other common respiratory infections. “Basically, there were only two viruses spreading during the pandemic restrictions, SARS-CoV-2 and rhinovirus, and we were curious about what was going on: Was one rhinovirus species dominating or was there a new, emergent variant causing these infections?” said Stephanie Goya, who is a research scientist at the University of Washington. 

Dr. Butts said during the pandemic studies showed that patients who were regularly physically active were less likely to be hospitalized or die from COVID-19. “Those who were physically inactive before diagnosis were 2.49 times more likely to die of COVID and be admitted to the hospital and ICU than those who were meeting the 150 minutes/week of physical activity guidelines,” said Dr. Butts.

John Schieszer is an award-winning national journalist and radio and podcast broadcaster of The Medical Minute.  He can be reached at medicalminutes@gmail.com