They say there's a simple trick to get rid of the flu and collapses.
Researchers may have at last discovered why people are far more susceptible to contract colds and the flu throughout the winter when temperatures drop.
The new study makes a connection between cooler air temperatures and a compromised immune system; scientists' peers are hailing it as a breakthrough.
Zara Patel, a Stanford University rhinologist who was not involved in the study, told CNN that "this is the first time that we have a biologic, molecular explanation about one element of our innate immune response that appears to be reduced by cooler temperatures."
The timing of the study is ideal. In their study, which was just released in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the researchers discovered that a mere nine degrees Fahrenheit reduction in temperature can kill over half of the cells defending the nose against viruses and bacteria.
According to researcher and rhinologist Benhamin Bleier of Harvard Medical School, "cold air is connected with greater viral infection because you've practically lost half of your immunity just by that slight drop in temperature," according to CNN.
There is a significant limitation to the study. It's crucial to keep in mind that these are in vitro studies, which means that while human tissue is being used in the lab to examine this immune response, it is not a study being conducted inside a real person's nose, Patel said to the broadcaster.
Therefore, there is still a potential that the outcomes won't be applicable in practise.
The results of in vitro investigations are frequently, but not always, confirmed in vivo, according to Patel.
At least in principle, the outcomes are convincing. The research team discovered that extracellular vesicles (EVs), which are tiny versions of cells unable to divide like ordinary cells, can protect against invading bacteria and respiratory viruses in the nose.