Curing a cold by working out/sweating?

InTheTrees

Just a general question.

Is it a myth or is there some reality to the notion that a vigorous sweaty workout will drive off a cold?

Hanley

InTheTrees wrote: »

Just a general question.

Is it a myth or is there some reality to the notion that a vigorous sweaty workout will drive off a cold?

Sustained intense exercise can weaken the immune system, so I doubt it.

Bog Butter

Maybe the endorphin rush after exercise gives one the false sense of being better.

InTheTrees

malman wrote: »

Maybe the endorphin rush after exercise gives one the false sense of being better.

Possible. And thats related to another "cure" which is to get so drunk that the hangover the next day trumps the cold...

:eek:

paulmclaughlin

Maybe increased body heat kills the virus?

Degsy

paulmclaughlin wrote: »

Maybe increased body heat kills the virus?

You cant actually kill a virus as technically its not alive to start with.

InTheTrees

Well I'm going to give it a try this afternoon.

I have a slight sniffle, a slight sore throat and I'm haveing a few sneezes every half hour or so. Nothing very intense.

SO i'm going to spend about an hour in the gym, aerobically pushing myself... and i'll see how it goes.

Of course I also chugged a big dose of vitC and Zinc this morning,

paulmclaughlin

Degsy wrote: »

You cant actually kill a virus as technically its not alive to start with.

You know what I mean but

Kevin Duffy

InTheTrees wrote: »

Well I'm going to give it a try this afternoon.

I have a slight sniffle, a slight sore throat and I'm haveing a few sneezes every half hour or so. Nothing very intense.

SO i'm going to spend about an hour in the gym, aerobically pushing myself... and i'll see how it goes.

Of course I also chugged a big dose of vitC and Zinc this morning,

Sounds like a plan to make it worse for yourself and give it lots more people. If you're not against the clock preparing for some competition, you can afford the time off until it's gone. If you are preparing for a competition, you don't need to make it worse by putting your immune system under more pressure while it's already working hard.

cmyk

This is a real pet peeve of mine. I wish there was a sticky to deal with this. If you've got a cold/flu don't go to a gym and pass it around to everyone else. If you feel the need to try and 'work' it off, at least go for a run and keep it to yourself. For the record though I agree with most of the other posts...lay off until it passes.

TheZ

cmyk wrote: »

This is a real pet peeve of mine. I wish there was a sticky to deal with this. If you've got a cold/flu don't go to a gym and pass it around to everyone else. If you feel the need to try and 'work' it off, at least go for a run and keep it to yourself. For the record though I agree with most of the other posts...lay off until it passes.

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/1998/11000/The_effect_of_exercise_training_on_the_severity.4.aspx

_Beau_

TheZ wrote: »

http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/1998/11000/The_effect_of_exercise_training_on_the_severity.4.aspx

It also shows that exercise didn't cure it. :P

discus

InTheTrees wrote: »

Just a general question.

Is it a myth or is there some reality to the notion that a vigorous sweaty workout will drive off a cold?

From my experience, it's the opposite.

Whenever I've had a cold, a solid session in the gym leaves me ****ed for weeks.

The theory behind "sweating it out" could come from the knowledge of how our body deals with certain viral infections. I remember being told that a rise in body temperature is a defence mechanism to kill the virus, the problem being that while it kills the virus, it eventually can kill us.

Some of my relatives swear by over hydration, followed by 24 hours in bed with a few layers of clothes. I've done it myself and I'd agree!

The Guvnor

As was mentioned it is a virus and it will run it's course naturally.
The best thing one can do is to rest.

There are lots of cases where athletes have gotten a sniffle, small cold and they ignore it.

By continuing to push themselves they ended up in a number of cases getting a viral infection of the heart and suffered a heart attack whilst training and died.

There were a number finnish orienteers iirc who died one winter for this reason and an athlete in the Ox-Cam boat race with another who had to retire because he had developed a viral infection of the heart.

Obviously my advice is to take a break plus it really annoys me when someone with a cold is in the gym - coughing and spluttering.

TheZ

The Guvnor wrote: »

As was mentioned it is a virus and it will run it's course naturally.
The best thing one can do is to rest.

There are lots of cases where athletes have gotten a sniffle, small cold and they ignore it.

By continuing to push themselves they ended up in a number of cases getting a viral infection of the heart and suffered a heart attack whilst training and died.

There were a number finnish orienteers iirc who died one winter for this reason and an athlete in the Ox-Cam boat race with another who had to retire because he had developed a viral infection of the heart.

Obviously my advice is to take a break plus it really annoys me when someone with a cold is in the gym - coughing and spluttering.

1000mg of Ester C on the hour every hour for six hours and then every 2 hours afterwards - going to try this next time I feel a cold coming on to see if it works for me

InTheTrees

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

Sounds like a plan to make it worse for yourself and give it lots more people.

The Guvnor wrote: »

There are lots of cases where athletes have gotten a sniffle, small cold and they ignore it.
By continuing to push themselves they ended up in a number of cases getting a viral infection of the heart and suffered a heart attack whilst training and died.

I'm thankful for the wisdom of boards.ie!

I stayed at home and I'm loading up on cold remedies, zinc, vitc.

I once almost ended up in hospital from ignoring the flu, then hiking most of the 12 pins, then ignoring it some more. I ended up with pneumonia, chest pain, the works. SO I appreciate the risks.

The Guvnor

Mike - I might have been a bit over zealous in saying lots.:)

There have been deaths but obviously they are extreme cases.

I think a few days rest is a good idea.

Now that the weather is colder I make sure to be well dressed after leaving the gym.

Ages ago I read an article that said - hard training perhaps more cv based could lower your immune system for a period of time by upto 70-80% - just an hour or two but leaving a warm gym in a sleeveless top as I still see is not the best idea in the world.

How are you feeling now?

InTheTrees

Considerably better thanks!

But staying at home again today. Luckily I can work from home.

Thanks for all the advice!

davmol

Question...Alot of people point out that leaving a warm place where youve just been exercising is unadvisable as you may 'pick up' something along the lines of cold/virus.But surely going out into the cold will not give you any kind of illness,you must be infected with a virus in order to get sick?

Rossin

yep, fortunately you cant catch a cold off the cold!

davmol

I figured as much and thats why I dont understand when people say if youve been sweating inside dont go out in the cold without wrapping up well or the old Myth that leaving the house with wet hair will give you a cold???

Nate--IRL--

davmol wrote: »

I figured as much and thats why I dont understand when people say if youve been sweating inside dont go out in the cold without wrapping up well or the old Myth that leaving the house with wet hair will give you a cold???

Your body will lose heat much quicker in these situations and will try to compensate rapidly. In doing so, in my experience, this seems to divert energy from the immune system leaving you open to infections like a cold, that you'd normally fend off easily..

The above could be complete bollox, but it is how it feels when it happens to me.

Nate

Rossin

for me its rest, paracetamol, water & vitamins, not into any hocus pocus

The Guvnor

Nate--IRL-- wrote: »

Your body will lose heat much quicker in these situations and will try to compensate rapidly. In doing so, in my experience, this seems to divert energy from the immune system leaving you open to infections like a cold, that you'd normally fend off easily..

The above could be complete bollox, but it is how it feels when it happens to me.

Nate

I'd go along with this. Also I did read eons a go that hard exercise can for a period depress your immune system by upto 70-80% - it quickly comes back up but once again no point putting yourself under pressure by being immappropriately dressed when leaving the gym after a workout.

Rossin

well in that case it would mean avoid people that are sick and wash your hands frequently after leaving the gym or even better dont be around people and dont touch anything

you cant catch a cold from being wet or cold/freezing!

Bog Butter

Rossin wrote: »

well in that case it would mean avoid people that are sick and wash your hands frequently after leaving the gym or even better dont be around people and dont touch anything

you cant catch a cold from being wet or cold/freezing!

However, if you do expose yourself to colder temperatures or get wet your body has to work harder to warm up. I would imagine the immune system is weaker as a result, thereby making your body more susceptible to the cold virus. You could even be already carrying the cold virus unbeknown to you while getting wet.

So although exposure to the virus is based on contact, either directly or indirectly with others, your immune response to the virus can be influenced by how you treat your body.

CIARAN_BOYLE

Some asthmatics (me included) find their symptoms significantly worse after suffering a cold

Excercise helps strech the lungs and bronchial tubes which can help some asthmatics overcome symptoms.

Personally thats something I've always felt anecdotally rather than something I've seen evidence of.

JonnyF

i know it flies in the face of conventional wisdom but when I feel a cold coming on my approach is to sweat it out. either by going to rugby training or doing a session in the gym. always tends to make me feel better

need to make the distinction between when i feel i might be getting sick and actually being sick. If i'm sick I'll take a few days off.

The Guvnor

Rossin wrote: »

well in that case it would mean avoid people that are sick and wash your hands frequently after leaving the gym or even better dont be around people and dont touch anything

you cant catch a cold from being wet or cold/freezing!

I've taught myself not to touch my face with my hands whilst in the gym and would wash them afterwards! OCD - maybe...:)