Fitness Club

Written by Rita Jenkins|  01 November, 2010  19:44 GMT

The cure for the common cold has been discovered: exercise. OK, that's an overstatement. However new research findings published in the online British Journal of Sports Medicine do show that active, fit people do suffer fewer colds, and they tend to be less severe. Being older, male and married also seemed to reduce cold frequency among participants in the study, but physical activity and fitness trumped all other factors.

The reason? One explanation offered by study author Dr. David Nieman of Appalachian State University and colleagues is that exercise gives the immune system a boost, causing a temporary rise in circulation of immune cells around the body.

Also, "stress hormones, which can suppress immunity, and pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, indicative of intense metabolic activity, are not elevated during moderate aerobic exercise," the researchers wrote.

Levels return to normal after about three hours, they noted, but every surge of immune activity represents a stronger defense against any viral and bacterial assaults that might be taking place, reducing the overall number and severity of infections.

More Activity, Less Coughing and Sneezing

Researchers tracked the respiratory health of 1,000 adults, aged 18 to 85, for a 12-week period in 2008.

The participants reported how often they engaged in aerobic exercise, and they rated their own fitness levels, based on a 10-point scoring system.

They also gave the researchers information on their lifestyles, diets and any recent stressful events that might have contributed to the effectiveness of their immune system responses.

The study was conducted during the fall and winter months. Cold symptoms were more prevalent during the cold season -- occurring on an average of 13 days during the winter, versus eight days in the fall.

Participants who said they exercised on five or more days and considered themselves fit reported cold symptoms far less often -- 43% to 46% less often, to be precise -- than those who only managed to be physically active once a week or less often.

Those who felt the fittest reported sympoms 41% less severe than their less-fit counterparts, while those who reported being the most active reported symptoms 31% less severe.

One weakness in the study, the researchers acknowledged, was that it did not adjust for exposure to pathogens.

An "average" person living in the U.S. will catch two to four colds a year. Children are more susceptible, catching six to 10 colds annually.

The common cold costs the U.S. economy roughly $40 billion a year, the researchers pointed out.

Other Reasons to Get Moving

But if you're not motivated by the prospect of doing your bit to improve the economy, here are some other benefits of exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic: Improves your mood by stimulating brain chemicals that help you feel calm, happy and relaxed; helps prevent depression; boosts self-esteem;Combats chronic heart disease by helping to lower blood pressure; it boosts "good" cholesterol and decreases triglycerides, reducing the buildup of arterial plaque; helps prevent type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and some cancers;helps you manage your weight -- enough said;boosts your energy level by delivering oxygen and nutrients to your tissues;promotes better sleep, which can improve your concentration and productivity;improves sex -- enough said.

Last but not least, says the Mayo Clinic, is that it can be fun to exercise. It doesn't necessarily mean working out -- any physical activity that you find enjoyable qualifies.

So if you like to dance, or toss a football around, or push your grandkids on swings, you'll be enriching your life in many ways -- and you can look forward to fewer sniffles to boot.