Exercise and Colds

Exercise and Colds: 5 Questions for Human Performance Researcher David Nieman

David Nieman is a professor of health and exercise science at Appalachian State University and the Director of the Human Performance Laboratory at the North Carolina Research Campus. Nieman has studied health, exercise physiology, and nutrition for more than 20 years and is the author of multiple books, including Exercise Testing and Prescription: A Health-Related Approach, the 7th edition of which was published this year.

Nieman’s most recent study, on exercise and colds, revealed that physically active people are at a much lower risk of becoming infected with the common cold virus and have fewer symptoms when they do become infected than those who are less active. With cold season now upon the Northern Hemisphere, Britannica science editor Kara Rogers posed a few questions to Nieman on his new findings.
 

Britannica: Researchers have long suspected that exercise is an effective way to prevent the common cold, but there has been little scientific evidence supporting this conclusion. In your study, what did you discover that confirmed the beneficial role of physical activity in fighting off colds?

Nieman: In multiple surveys, eight of 10 physically active people claim that they are sick less often that their sedentary peers. I tested this assertion in three randomized, controlled exercise training studies and found that sick days were indeed reduced in women who walked briskly 5 days per week for 35–45 minutes per bout. In the present study of 1,002 men and women ages 18 to 85, those exercising aerobically for 20 minutes of more per bout, 5 or more days per week, for 12 weeks during the winter or fall experienced a 43 percent reduction in the number of days sick with the common cold compared to those largely avoiding aerobic exercise. The strength of this study is the use of a validated instrument for measuring upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), the large and heterogeneous study population, and the sophisticated statistical modeling to adjust for potential confounders.

Britannica: How did you uncover the association between exercise and reduced risk of catching a cold, given the number of variables, such as diet and age, that can also determine one’s risk for colds?

Nieman: Subjects filled in an extensive lifestyle and demographic questionnaire, and then logged URTI symptoms each day for 12 weeks. We used a statistical model that selected and adjusted for the most important URTI-related lifestyle and demographic factors, and then ranked them for impact on the number of days with URTI and severity of symptoms. Of all lifestyle factors, aerobic exercise (5 or more days per week) was most powerful in lowering the number of days with URTI and symptom severity. No pill or supplement comes close to the cold-prevention power of aerobic activity, but time and effort are requisite. Most people claim they lack time to exercise, but the health benefits are numerous, including lowered risk for many chronic diseases, improved psychological health, and increased fitness and energy for the daily activities of life. The net effect is not loss of time but a longer life, fewer days of sickness, and enhanced work productivity.

Britannica: Is there an ideal amount or type of physical activity that provides optimal protection against the common cold? Are there any activities, such as exercising vigorously in cold weather, that might increase risk and that people should avoid?

Nieman: Our data support that optimal protection occurs with near daily aerobic activity. Every indication is that any type of aerobic activity (e.g., brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, sports play, aerobic dance) will confer protection against the common cold and that air temperature and location (indoor vs. outdoor) are inconsequential. We do know that prolonged, intensive exercise beyond 90 minutes causes a strong increase in stress hormones, physiological stress, immune dysfunction, and an increase in URTI risk. For example, after running a competitive marathon, URTI risk increases 2- to 6-fold, depending on the time of year. So too much of a good thing (exercise) can turn around and become harmful in excessive amounts (similar to the effects of too much sun exposure).

Britannica: Much of your research in the past has centered on the ability of exercise to boost immune function. How does physical activity stimulate the immune system to defend against the common cold?

Nieman: Studies in our Human Performance Lab indicate that during each aerobic exercise bout, the recirculation of important immune cells (e.g., natural killer cells and neutrophils) is enhanced, improving “immunosurveillance” against viruses. This is a transient effect that lasts at most about three hours after the exercise bout. Long-term exercise training studies by my research team have shown that no chronic changes occur in resting immune function. Thus, the key point is that a high frequency of physical activity is needed to repeat the exercise-induced immune cell surges that over time add up to improved virus control and reduced illness.

Britannica: In addition to exercise, were you able to identify other factors associated with either a reduced risk for colds or reduced severity of symptoms?

Nieman: Other important correlates of reduced URTI included older age, male gender, being married, low mental stress, and high fruit intake (3 or more servings per day). Thus, if you are an older, married, mentally content, fruit-eating, and physically fit male, your predicted sick days this cold season are very low compared to others.