Are runners more susceptible to the common cold? Fiona Bugler looks at the facts and offers advice on how to avoid a cold this winter.

What it is?

Also known as an upper respiratory tract infection, what we know as a 'cold' will include symptoms such as swollen glands, an achy body, runny nose, sore throat, and a mild cough.

Are runners more prone to colds?

Running is hard work, and challenges the CV system to the maximum and, if you run more than 90 minutes a day, there is evidence that you are going to be putting your immune system under strain. A US study from 1987 examined 2,300 runners who competed in the Los Angeles Marathon and found that those who ran 60 miles a week or more doubled their chance of getting ill. But in reality most recreational runners are actually better protected than their unfit counterparts from the common cold. The American Council on Exercise report that runners have less colds than before they started running, due to the increase of macrophages cells. It's possible that we runners just find it more annoying than others and it's more of a shock to the fitter system to be run down with a cold.

Should a cold stop me running?

The standard advice is not to run if the cold symptoms have gone below the neck and reached the chest, ie coughing intensely. This type of illness causes you to be dehydrated and can result in more serious illnesses such as pneumonia or even respiratory failure. Having a temperature causes problems too as exercise causes the body temperature to rise even higher. Get too hot and your heart will be put under strain. 

Getting help: Vitamins, Minerals and Herbs

The healthy trio of Vitamin C, Zinc and Echinacea are commonly believed to help prevent and ease the symptoms of colds. 

However, there is controversy about the facts. The US-based Mayo Clinic points out that there is little evidence that the use of Vitamin C prevents or treats colds, however, for those in extreme circumstances, such as marathon runners, studies have found that the risk of developing a cold from taking Vitamin C is reduced by approximately 50 per cent. A standard recommendation for runners is 500mg a day. To get Vitamin C from your food try Kiwi fruit and oranges, broccoli, peppers, strawberries, tomatoes etc.

The mineral zinc has also been extensively researched. According to authors of the Cochrane Systematic Review including data from 15 trials involving 1,360 people zinc can prevent colds by coating the common cold viruses and stopping them from entering the body through the thin lining of the nose, as well providing a boost to the immune system. Overdoing zinc supplementation can be toxic, so read the label! Food sources include, oysters, clams, liver, poultry, pork, lamb or for lower fat options wheat germ, fortified breakfast cereals, and black-eyed peas. 

Echinacea is a herb that can be dried and put into supplements and food, or eaten fresh. Again there is some controversy as to how effective it is, but research conducted in 2007 at the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, combined the results of 14 different studies on Echinacea's anti-cold properties and found that when combined with Vitamin C it could reduce cold incidence by 86 percent, and taken by itself, it could reduce them by 65 per cent.  

What Next? You can fight off a cold and run right through the winter with the right food: Five Foods to Help Fight Cold & Flu.