Cold Weather: Possible Urban Myth

[Tony]

Is there any truth to the old wives' tale that cold weather can make you sick? I haven't been able to find anything on Snopes.

[a_unique_person]

If you want purely anecdotal evidence, I think it's true. I don't know what the science says, but I recall a post here recently that doctors had tested the theory and found that cold weather could activate a dormant viral infection, and found it to be true.

[BobK]

I think if your body is being successful in fighting off a virus you already have to the extent that you show no symtoms, then getting cold would require your body to re-allocate resources to keep your body warm. This might lead to the symtoms of the virus appearing.

If I remember correctly the Eskimos rarely got sick until explorers from warmer areas started bringing along their viruses.

So, I would say no.

[ohms]

There was a recent study in the UK that being cold (rather than cold weather) can increase the risk of catching a cold. The hypothesis is "Cooling of the nose slows down clearance of viruses from the nose and slows down the white cells that fight infection."

Link (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4433496.stm) to BBC news story

[clarsct]

Hmmmmmmmmm.

Actually, the warmer the area around you, the more germs there are.

I think it has more to do with being in confined quarters more during the winter months.

I don't think the per capita rates of viral infection are any higher in Finland, Northern Canada, or Alaska are any higher than elsewhere, but I'm willing to be shown wrong, if someone has evidence to the contrary.

[kedo1981]

cold air=dry air=dry nasal passages=less mucus to trap virus

[eri]

According to Bad Medicine ....

Wintertime is a season when everyone stays inside, huddled together with the windows closed. Close quarters, no fresh air: viruses easily spread from person to person. Making matters worse, the cold virus cycle is most active and more prevalent in the wintertime.

As for getting sick from exposure, ...

Cold weather compromises your immune system, your body's defense against viral and bacterial invaders. ... When your body has to work double-time to heat your body in subfreezing weather, it is not making immune system cells. Instead, in the process of warming you, your body lets its guard down just a bit. Resources are diverted. So when you are physically cold and consequently exposed to a virus, your body might not be able to disable that virus as well as it would have if you were warm and comfortable.

He goes on to mention that the same effects come from stress. If anyone hasn't read Bad Medicine by Christopher Wanjek, I highly recommend it. In addition to common colds, he also covers topics like homeopathy and anti-vaxers. It's a fun read.

[Nucular]

I have some recollection of another argument being that it doesn't do you much good to be contantly going from warm environment, to cold, and back again, which in these days of frosty weather+central heating we all do all day long.

Apart from that, I have nothing to add, except the odd observation that many people actually believe that cold weather or draughts actually cause, i.e. are necessary and sufficient to bring on, colds. Trying to point out that colds are virii, and are not abiogenically derived from moving chilly air, brings on almost invariably a "whuh???" expression and a closed window.

[Kaylee]

There was a recent study in the UK that being cold (rather than cold weather) can increase the risk of catching a cold. The hypothesis is "Cooling of the nose slows down clearance of viruses from the nose and slows down the white cells that fight infection."

..

I've read* that the mucus membrane in the nose is instrumental in preventing viral infections and that in the winter because it is thicker and drier due to the weather and many indoor conditions due to heating methods used it does not work as well.

Humudifiers can help.

Unfortunately, I didn't bookmark the link and I can't find it... I do recall it was NOT from a humidifier company. :)


* While I was home sick last month ....

[CBL4]

There was a recent study on this and the answer appears to be that being cold does cause colds:
Ninety volunteers who spent 20 minutes with their feet in bowls of iced water have provided evidence that failing to wrap up warmly is directly linked to falling prey to sore throats and a bunged-up nose.

Although apparently common sense, straightforward connections between chilling and viral infection have been hard to prove, according to the common cold centre at Cardiff University - the world's only centre dedicated to researching and testing new medicines for the treatment of flu and the common cold.

But the latest experiment reinforces theories that existing, latent infection can be activated when parts of the body, particularly the feet and nose, get wet and cold.

Claire Johnson and Ron Eccles from the centre found that 29% of the volunteers developed cold symptoms within five days, compared to 9% of a control group who dangled their feet in empty bowls.

All participants took off their shoes and socks and temperatures were monitored throughout the experiment.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,3605,1642101,00.html

[apocalypse]

There was an episode of "Scientific American Frontiers" in which they discussed colds and remedies. One of the topics (recalling as accurately as I can) was a study done in Minnesota (UoM or MSU) in which they had a number of volunteers stand outside during the winter cold (10 degrees or something like that) for a period of time (20 minutes or so) in a bathing suit and then get hosed down with cold water.

The result of that study that there was no increased risk of getting a cold than the general population.

As for myself, I get fewer colds during the winter as that is when I take most of my vacation from work and come into less contact with people. Despite outdoor activities of skiing, hiking and biking in the colder conditions (about 30-40 degrees during the winter here in Oregon) I suffer from fewer colds. Your mileage may vary.

[clarsct]

Once again, I ask: Is there any record of more colds in Alaska, Siberia, or Northern Canada, per capita, than elsewhere? If there were, then that would be decent evidence that yes, being cold has something to do with having colds. If not, then no, probably not. Just an old wives tale.

[Nucular]

Well, strictly, it would be an indication to look further - worldwide figures would be a better indication, but even then there are so many other variables besides "being cold" that all we'd have would be a correlation - and as the mantra goes, correlation doesn't prove causality, in any way.

If no correlation exists, it's likely there's no connection to look for - if correlation does exist, it proves nothing alone.

Just saying :)

[Tony]

What does science say about the possibility of temperatures from 20-50 degrees Fahrenheit causing sickness/cold?

[delphi_ote]

If I remember correctly the Eskimos rarely got sick until explorers from warmer areas started bringing along their viruses.

That sounds like a myth.

[clarsct]

Well, strictly, it would be an indication to look further - worldwide figures would be a better indication, but even then there are so many other variables besides "being cold" that all we'd have would be a correlation - and as the mantra goes, correlation doesn't prove causality, in any way.

If no correlation exists, it's likely there's no connection to look for - if correlation does exist, it proves nothing alone.

Just saying :)

Well, true enough. But I was just asking if there was any evidence for a correlation. I suppose I should have been more specific.

[kevin]

The Straight Dope has a write up on temp vs. cold from 1992.

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_104.html

And a couple of items on eskimos:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/010119.html
it focuses on why they don't get scurvy when eating mostly meat and fish, but also mentions: "and one might note that until recently the Inuit rarely suffered from atherosclerosis and other Western ailments."

I think it's a myth to say they never got any sickness but I do think they rarely get colds perhaps due to the virus not surviving (but why hasn't one developed with a resistence recently?).

[Just thinking]

I recall an episode of NOVA (too many years ago to recall which one) where they were talking about getting colds in the arctic (or perhaps it was antarctic). Very rare if ever. Cold germs simply can't survive (or was it thrive) in such harsh conditions.