DR. MICHAEL MOSLEY: Can HRT protect you from a common cold?

My friend Brian says he never coughs or gets a cold – he survived the Covid years without catching them either.

And it’s not like he includes himself – he’s one of the most sociable people I know, so he’s constantly exposed to other people’s bugs.

He eats a fairly healthy diet, takes frequent cold showers and plays golf (proven to be good for the heart), but otherwise there is nothing obvious about his lifestyle that explains his robust immunity. Maybe he just inherited the right genes.

There is even good evidence that certain genetic mutations can protect people from nasty pathogens that can be deadly to the rest of us.

A few years ago I made a film about the Black Death which killed at least a third of the people of Britain.

Still others were immune, and because they survived, they passed on that genetic advantage. So should there be another outbreak, there are many Britons today who will be protected.

And about 10 percent of people exposed to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, never become infected because they have mutations in a gene that prevents the virus from entering their cells.

Unfortunately, there is no clear protective genetic mutation in the common cold. The best we can say is that if you manage to get through the year with only one or two mild respiratory illnesses, it indicates that you, like Brian, have an efficient immune system.

But if you get frequent infections, struggle to shake them off, or are a slow healer when it comes to cuts and wounds, your immune system could probably use a little overhaul.

We know that losing weight and sleeping well is good for your immune system, but what else helps?

REPLACE HORMONES

The male flu is not a myth – there is plenty of evidence that women have stronger immune systems.

We know from Covid that males are 60 percent more likely than females to die when infected, and this appears to be partly because many of the genes responsible for immunity are on the X chromosome (females have two X chromosomes; males have one).

Women also have an advantage because the hormone estrogen strengthens the immune system while the male hormone testosterone weakens it.

However, this also means that with the drop in estrogen levels in women during menopause, their defenses against infections also drop. So, can taking HRT (hormone replacement therapy) help?

A 2016 review in the journal Climacteric looking at the effects of HRT concluded that it actually helped reverse damage to the immune system.

EAT BITTER VEGETABLES

What you eat has a big impact on your gut microbes, which in turn has a big impact on your immune system.

A study last year that examined the eating habits of more than 5,000 Spaniards exposed to Covid found that those who ate a Mediterranean diet (high in oily fish, fruit, vegetables and whole grains) were 64 percent less likely to become infected became seriously ill and became than those who did not.

Also bring bitter-tasting vegetables like broccoli, kale and cabbage, as they are high in glucosinolates, compounds that give them their bitter taste and which have been shown to strengthen our immune systems.

HYDRATE THE AIRWAYS

During the winter months we spend a lot more time indoors in centrally heated rooms which dry out the air and mucus in our respiratory tract. But because mucus helps trap microbes, it interferes with your body’s ability to fight infection.

I drink a glass of water, tea and coffee with every meal. Using a humidifier also helps.

TAKE THE SUNSHINE PILL

We all know how important it is to get enough vitamin C in our diet, but vitamin D is just as important, if not more so, for immunity, especially during the cold, dark winter months when vitamin D levels are due to ‘ A lack of powerful vitamin D reduces sunlight.

While eggs and oily fish are good sources, the NHS recommends that all adults take 10mcg of vitamin D daily between October and March.

TAKE A COLD SHOWER

Like Brian, I usually take a cold shower in the mornings, starting with a blast of hot water, followed by about 40 seconds of the icy stuff. It cheers me up and I hope it’s good for my immune system.

In a 2016 study, Dutch researchers found that people who took a cold shower every day for a month were 30 percent less likely to take time off due to illness than those who didn’t.

A quick dip in cold water increases blood flow to your organs, and that blood carries immune cells with it. The good news is that you don’t have to do it for long!

…DURING THE SINGING

To distract myself from the initial pain of the cold water, I sing loudly. And research shows that singing is also good for resistance.

A study from Imperial College London found that after an hour of chanting, people had significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol (which suppresses the immune system) – as well as higher levels of cytokines, proteins that play a role in making your body help. fight a serious illness.

AND FINALLY…

We ALL know exercise is good for us, but a brisk walk is a great way to keep your immune system in good shape.

In one study, postmenopausal women did either 45 minutes of brisk walking or 45 minutes of stretching five days a week. After one year, the walkers reported three times fewer colds than the stretchers, the American Journal of Medicine reported in 2006.

Like cold showers, brisk exercise stimulates blood flow, which helps immune cells move throughout your body.

A walk in the woods is even better because trees produce aromatic compounds that increase our white blood cell count, which recognize and destroy viruses.

In theory, essential oils like eucalyptus may have a similar effect, but the evidence is mostly anecdotal – so save your money.