Does exercising help alleviate symptoms of the common cold?

From the Guidelines

Exercise may have a positive effect on preventing the common cold, but its impact on alleviating symptoms is less clear, and it is generally recommended to follow the "neck rule" when deciding whether to exercise with a cold. According to the european position paper on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps 2020 1, regular, moderate-intensity exercise may have an effect on the prevention of the common cold. However, the evidence for exercise alleviating symptoms of the common cold is limited. Some studies suggest that light to moderate exercise like walking or gentle yoga might temporarily relieve congestion by opening nasal passages and releasing endorphins that can improve mood and reduce discomfort.

When considering exercising with a cold, it's essential to follow the "neck rule": exercise is generally acceptable with symptoms above the neck (runny nose, sneezing, sore throat) but avoid it with symptoms below the neck (chest congestion, body aches, fever) 1. If you choose to exercise while having a cold, reduce the intensity and duration of your workout, stay well-hydrated, and stop immediately if you feel worse. Rest is often more beneficial for recovery, as your body needs energy to fight the infection. Exercise works by temporarily increasing circulation and immune cell activity, but pushing too hard can stress your immune system further and potentially prolong your illness.

Key considerations for exercising with a cold include:

• Reducing the intensity and duration of your workout
• Staying well-hydrated
• Stopping immediately if you feel worse
• Following the "neck rule" to determine whether exercise is appropriate for your symptoms
• Prioritizing rest and recovery if your symptoms are severe or worsening.

It's also important to note that other treatments, such as paracetamol (acetaminophen), NSAIDs, and nasal irrigation with saline, may be more effective in alleviating symptoms of the common cold, according to the european position paper on rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps 2020 1.

From the Research

Exercising with a Cold

• Exercising in cold environments can have various effects on the body, including increased stress on the cardiovascular system and risks of cardiovascular diseases 2.
• However, exercise in cold environments can also increase the body's tolerance to detrimental insults and benefit cardiovascular health 2.
• The biological effects and underlying mechanisms of exercise in cold are complex and not well studied, but evidence suggests that exercise in cold exerts more noticeable effects on sympathetic nervous activation, bioenergetics, anti-oxidative capacity, and immune response compared to exercise in thermoneutral environments 2.

Performance in Cold Environments

• Exercising in cold environments can be advantageous for athletes if the exercise is prolonged and undertaken at a moderate intensity, with environmental temperatures around 11 degrees C 3.
• However, if the intensity is lower or the individual does not generate sufficient metabolic heat to offset the effects imposed by the cold environment, then temperatures of 11 degrees C can be detrimental to performance 3.
• Additional factors such as the exercising medium, air or water, and the anthropometric characteristics of the athlete can also make a difference to the strategies that can be adopted to offset any negative impact of a cold environment on performance 3.

Adaptation to Exercise in Cold

• The winter athlete has several potential tactics for sustaining body temperature in the face of severe cold, including increasing the intensity of physical activity, shivering, and non-shivering thermogenesis 4.
• Acclimatisation to cold develops over the course of about 10 days, and in humans, the primary change is an insulative, hypothermic type of response 4.
• With more sustained exposure to cold air or water, humans can apparently develop the humoral type of acclimatisation described in small mammals, with an increased output of noradrenaline and/or thyroxine 4.

Hydration and Exercise in Cold

• Exercising in cold environments results in water losses, but voluntary water intake during and following exercise in a cold environment is lower compared to a warm environment 5.
• The blunted thirst response in cold environments may lead to inadequate hydration, despite similar body mass losses occurring in both cold and warm trials 5.
• Future research addressing the impact of cold exposure on metabolism and substrate utilisation during exercise must attempt to isolate and control each influential factor, and must be alert to the interactive effects that can occur 6.