• Question: Why does everyone suffer differently from colds?

    Asked by hazellwh to Helen, Jenni, Mark, Martin, Stu on 23 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Helen O'Connor

      Helen O'Connor answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      I’m not sure about this one as I’m a psychologist and don’t know so much about biology.

      I do know being happy and not stressed helps our immune system though and happy, unstressed people suffer from fewer colds. This has been discovered by psychologists who study psychoimmunology – the relationship between our psychological state and our nervous and immune systems

    • Photo: Mark Burnley

      Mark Burnley answered on 23 Jun 2011:

      People’s immune systems vary. The environment can also influence the immune response. In fact, for a few hours after exercise there is a “window of opportunity” in which people are much more likely to suffer colds or “upper respiratory tract infections” (URTIs). There is a lot of research being done to try and literally “close the window” with nutritional supplements (vitamin C and bovine colostrum), but nothing closes the window completely.

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