Exercise is the best medicine for the common cold

A new study says that people who exercise are less likely to get a common cold compared to their less active counterparts.

A team of American researchers at Appalachian State University in North Carolina based their results on 1,000 adults aged up to 85, whose respiratory health was tracked for 12 weeks during the fall and winter of 2008.

All the participants reported back on how often they did aerobic exercise and rated their fitness levels using a validated 10 point scoring system. They were also asked about lifestyle, diet and recent stress in their life, as these can all affect immune system response.

In the U.S., adults can expect to a common cold two to four times a year, and kids can expect to get six to 10 colds per year. All these colds sap approximately $40 billion from the U.S. economy in direct and indirect costs, research calculate.

The research showed that exercise prompts a temporary rise in the immune system cells circulating in the body. Levels fall back to normal within a few hours, however each session of exercise is likely to enable the body to catch harmful viruses and bacteria, which in turn reduces the number and intensity of colds, the researchers said in a statement.

The severity of symptoms dropped by 41% among those who felt the healthiest and by 31% among those who were the most active.

The findings of the study support previous epidemiologic and randomized research, said the study authors. However, they acknowledged that their study had its limitation as exposure to pathogens at work and in the home was not adjusted.