Fastest ways to overcome a cold? (#15)

NO ONE enjoys a cold. Least of all, someone like you, right? Someone with a specific goal, maybe even a structured plan to achieve it. Colds typically sneak up on us in autumn, partly because we relax a bit and socialize more with friends and acquaintances in new places. Plus, temperatures drop, which impacts things. Anyway, we can all catch a cold, and it can hinder our performance. Since this blog is meant to help you Perform Better, we've delved into this area to see how we can help you (and ourselves, because believe it or not, we don't want to catch a cold either). This article focuses on two main points:

• How do we minimize the risk of catching a cold?

• How do we reduce the duration if a cold does catch us?

And as always, if you ignore all the theory and just want that famous recipe that works, scroll down to the end of the article. But feel free to read the whole article for a better understanding and to make our hearts happy 🙂

Research shows that the basics are still crucial: enough sleep, energy, and hydration. Additionally, there's support that a good carbohydrate intake during long training sessions and sufficient intake of things like vitamin D can reduce the risk of infection in some athletes. If you’ve already caught a cold, there are no miracle cures, but a few strategies can shorten the duration somewhat and help you get back to training faster.

First, let's focus on the most logical step, or what we might call common sense. Both as a preventive measure and when you're dealing with a cold, sleep, rest, and adequate amounts of fluids and food are key factors to manage. Ensure you're not running on a calorie deficit—your body needs fuel for optimal recovery and healing. If you're eating too little, unfortunately, extra vitamins and amino acids in supplement form won't suffice to help your body; it needs the energy.

For example, consider the amino acid glutamine, which is the "fuel" for our immune system. This amino acid will primarily be broken down and converted to glucose in the liver if the body lacks energy elsewhere, rather than performing its function in the immune system. The result is a weakened immune system.

”Several studies with runners and cyclists have shown that ingesting carbohydrate beverages can help reduce changes in immunity when athletes face physiological stress and depletion of carbohydrate stores due to high-intensity (~75-80% VO2max) exercise sessions lasting over 90 minutes.”

For sessions lasting more than 90 minutes at higher intensity, consuming carbohydrates during training can lower the risk of colds afterward (study). It makes sense: after 90 minutes, our glycogen stores are mostly depleted, requiring the body to produce glucose/glycogen from other sources like glutamine, as highlighted above.

If you're interested in delving deeper, there's a comprehensive review available that covers most essential information. Ensure an intake of at least 60 g/hour during longer sessions to optimize this aspect.

There is a link between low Vitamin D levels and increased colds among athletes. This is especially pertinent for us in the northern regions who experience minimal sunlight during winter. Taking an additional Vitamin D supplement daily during this period is definitely beneficial.

A referenced study examined 225 athletes training over 16 weeks during the winter (conducted in England, at a similar latitude to ours). 55% of the athletes, equating to 124 individuals, were Vitamin D deficient, with significantly more experiencing colds over those 16 weeks. Thus, an added supplement of 1000–2000 IU of Vitamin D in winter comes highly recommended.

In Sweden, there's mandatory fortification of certain dairy products, with proposals to extend this to richer dairy options since many prefer these over leaner versions.

Consuming a protein shake occasionally is a convenient way to obtain amino acids that aid in maintaining and regulating the immune system. We recommend classic whey protein—not an ultraprocessed isolate—as some vital substances are lost through excessive processing. One such substance is lactoferrin, which has been shown to help ward off colds.

BCAAs, which include the branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine, and valine, are also noteworthy. There are various studies on BCAA supplementation and its effects on colds/immunity. Taking 6 g of BCAA daily has been shown to preserve the body's glutamine levels during training. You might recall that glutamine serves as the principal fuel for the immune system, and BCAA use has demonstrated a reduction in glutamine metabolism during training, thereby conserving more for the immune system. Immediate BCAA intake has also been seen to upregulate gene expression for immune-active genes—at least in middle-aged mice who exercise—and similar effects are likely in humans.

”Another potential protective mechanism of BCAA might be through the antioxidant system. BCAA supplementation has been shown to enhance the expression of genes associated with antioxidant defense, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) 1 and 2, catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPx1) in trained middle-aged mice.”

Brief Background – Y-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS) (try saying that three times fast) is the key enzyme activated by various types of stress, such as oxidative stress (which occurs when we metabolize a lot of oxygen), inflammation, heat stress, etc. When GCS is activated, the body initiates a series of functions to repair oxidative damage and boost the immune system.

What’s practically relevant is that different amino acids serve as building blocks for the GSH protein (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine), the hero of the story. Researchers argue that increased intake of protein and amino acids can accelerate the process, speeding up recovery. It’s a bit of “common sense” territory: eat sufficiently and fuel your body when you’re feeling under the weather.

If you want to read more, there are further details in the chapter “Redox Status” in this review.

It might actually be beneficial in two ways to do a short low-intensity workout for, say, no more than 30 minutes when you start feeling cold symptoms. Low and moderate-intensity exercise can raise levels of anti-inflammatory markers and lower levels of pro-inflammatory markers.

“During moderate intensity exercise, pro-inflammatory cytokine production is downregulated and anti-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), IL-10, and IL-6, are upregulated”

The key phrase here is: low to moderate intensity. Ensure your heart rate does not exceed about 110 beats per minute, and keep the workout short.

Great for avoiding colds as it keeps the immune system at its peak. It’s also beneficial as a supplement if you’ve already caught a cold — it provides energy to the immune system fighting the infection. Glutamine is, as previously mentioned, the immune system’s fuel; no fuel, no fire.

Research-wise, however, no effect on the immune system has been seen from the intake of glutamine alone in all studies. Glutamine seems to be more effective when taken with carbohydrates and/or other amino acids. The recommended dose from most studies (review) is 20 g/day. However, it seems lower doses might also be effective.

In one study, 200 athletes (elite rowers, ultra-runners, middle-distance runners, and marathon runners) were tested. The study was double-blind: one group consumed a placebo drink immediately after the competition and then 2 hours later. The other group consumed a glutamine drink with a total of 5 g glutamine at the same times. In the following 7 days, participants reported how they felt and whether they had caught a cold or experienced cold symptoms. 19% of participants consuming glutamine after the competition experienced some form of cold symptoms, while as many as 51% in the placebo group experienced symptoms during the same period. Therefore, even lower doses immediately after exercise seem potentially helpful. Adding 5 g of glutamine to your shake after your session might be worth the effort.

Vitamin C is the old classic. The majority of well-controlled studies show that extra intake of Vitamin C around 1 g/day has little to no effect on the course of illness generally. However, a cocktail of 1 g Vitamin C and 10–20 mg zinc seems more interesting. Consuming this mix every day during a cold reduces the illness duration by 9–27% among those who have caught a cold. Possibly, the zinc is the major influencing factor — zinc supplements have been studied extensively and appear to have good evidence in this regard.

I’d like to include a closing quote on this:

”In view of the burden associated with the common cold, supplementation with Vitamin C plus zinc may represent an efficacious measure, with a good safety profile, against this infectious viral disease.”

No one likes being sick, and people often experiment with various remedies when they are. Since it’s safe to take 1 g Vitamin C and 20 mg zinc daily during a cold, there's no major risk — it might help shorten the duration of the illness, making it well worth a try.

I skimmed through the research on garlic first. A major review came out in 2012 and another in 2014. These reviews summarize studies examining the effects of garlic on colds. The conclusion is there is too little research to give definitive answers. No difference has been shown in studies comparing garlic to placebo. One issue researchers pointed out is that participants receiving garlic capsules could taste and burp garlic — making it difficult to blind the studies. So we’ll skip the garlic!

In 2014, a systematic review on Echinacea’s effects on colds was published. It summarizes 24 studies conducted on 4,631 participants. Results show a slight but not significant trend that Echinacea may shorten the duration of illness somewhat. We can recommend getting Echinacea — the effect is small but might exist. You’ll have to decide the cost versus effect yourself. Supplements of Vitamin E and A have not shown any effect, so you can skip them.

So, let's break it down to what truly works. At the top of the list: ensure you get enough sleep and rest, and maintain a proper diet. Adding extra protein to your diet is a smart move all year round, along with structured carbohydrate intake for any workouts exceeding 90 minutes. There are valid reasons for reducing carbs during longer sessions, especially in the off-season when you might be following a train low approach. Keep in mind your risk of infection can increase during these periods.

If we were to create and sell an “I don’t want to catch a cold” drink this winter, it would contain:

• 20 g glutamine
• 6 g BCAA
• 2000 IU Vitamin D

We'd also include a bottle of hand sanitizer in the package :). There is some evidence that beta-glucan has a strengthening effect on the immune system. We primarily get beta-glucan from oats (mmm oatmeal). URTI = cold/respiratory infection.

“Beta-glucan can enhance the activities of both innate and specific immune functions and has been shown to boost resistance to various viral, bacterial, protozoan, and fungal diseases, as well as promote anti-tumor activity. A series of studies have shown that oral intake of oat beta-glucan can offset exercise-induced immune suppression and decrease susceptibility to URTI and tumor metastasis in a mouse model of exhaustive exercise and short-term heavy training.”

This drink contains:

• 30 g whey protein
• 10 g glutamine
• 20 mg zinc
• 1,000 mg Vitamin C

I might also add a bit of ginger, not because I've found strong scientific evidence that it directly impacts colds, but because it's something people commonly associate with relief. A review recently showed that ginger may have pain-relieving effects in runners at 2 g/day for 5 days — so 2 g of ginger seems like a reasonable addition.

Don't forget the basics: plenty of sleep, a varied nutrient-rich diet, and ample water intake help more than anything else. Feel free to combine this with light exercise such as a brisk walk or easy cycling with a heart rate around 100 beats per minute. Avoid crowded places when you're ill so you don't spread it to others. Washing or sanitizing your hands is essential and something we highly recommend. While there's a report suggesting that hand sanitizer can sometimes increase acute sensitivity to infection source, the majority of research supports that clean hands and sanitizer are the better option.

Thank you for reading – now go get some sleep, enjoy a proper dinner, and take a light jog tomorrow if you're feeling better. And yes: hand sanitizer.