Health Tip: Smear Live Bacteria All Over Your Body. It Helps.

Athletes are prone to injuries and aggravated muscles that we’d never know existed if it wasn’t for them. Yet, a new study has also found that most athletes suffer from the common cold for reasons due to stress and rolling around in mud when other people normally repel that sort of thing away. Colds are caused by a variety of viruses (over 200 in all), but the Australian Institute of Sport decided to test the powers of “good bacteria”, or probiotics (the stuff found in yogurt our health-conscious gal pal always tries to force feed us), with the intent to provide reinforcements to the immune systems of ailing athletes.

In the study, conducted by scientists at the Australian Institute of Sport, 10 elite male distance runners downed six pills a day containing Lactobacillus fermentum (about 12 billion live bacteria each day), and another 10 runners took a placebo. All 20 then reported how they felt over the course of a strenuous four-month-long training season. The runners taking the placebos averaged 72 days of cold-like symptoms. The runners downing the probiotics felt sick much less often, averaging 30 days of symptoms. The runners taking supplements also had elevated blood levels of interferon gamma, a substance that encourages strong immune-system responses.

We hate pills. In fact, we never take them. Our substitute, when we get sick, is a three-mile run and whiskey. And we’re not joking. There’s no scientific proof that this staves off infections, but it sure makes us feel good. But, if you’re down for pills, then your mucous moments may become a thing of the past. Just remember to be careful. Around 3,000 people die a year from choking.
Live Bacteria to Keep the Cold Away [NYTimes]
Image [Runners]