2023-11-30 07:11:00
Berlin. Why do we get sick so often in winter? Researchers are now providing a detailed answer for the first time: the problem is in the nose.
Why do you get flu or a cold more quickly in winter? What do lower temperatures and cold air do to our immune system? A study explains what happens in the body
For many people, this also begins with the cold temperatures Virus and cold season. For a long time, no one was able to give a concrete answer as to why we are more susceptible to Corona, influenza, etc. in winter. Until now.
researchers of the Boston University In June 2022, a so-called “scientific breakthrough” was achieved in the US state of Massachusetts: For the first time, there is an explanation for why we are so often sick and have a cold in winter.
Respiratory diseases like colds, the flu or Covid-19 are around all year round. But why does almost everyone seem to get sick sooner or later during the cold season? The answer is right in our faces.
Flu & Cold: Why do we get sick in winter?
Because at low temperatures, the defenses in the nose break down: In a study, the research team found that at temperatures of around five degrees Celsius, almost half of the defense cells contained in the nostrils die. The important ones are located on the nasal mucous membranes IgA antibodieswhich are intended to ward off viruses and bacteria before they enter the body.
“Cold air leads to a higher virus infection rate because with a small change in temperatures approximately half the immune defense dies,” explains Benjamin Bleier, rhinologist and co-author of the study.
But to fully understand the effect of cold air, you have to take a closer look at how the nasal defenses work: If a virus or bacteria gets into the nose, the front part of the nostrils reacts first – before the back part of the organ. The cells in the nose then form millions of small membranes that help with defense: the extracellular vesicles (EV).
Sick in winter: Why the nose works like a hornet’s nest
“The EVs cannot divide like cells, but are like mini versions of cells that are only there to kill the viruses,” explains Bleier. If a person inhales a virus, the virus attaches to the normal cells rather than to them Cell copies, i.e. the EVs. They then flush the virus out of the body: the nose runs.
“This part of the immune system In contrast to all other parts, it only works outside the body,” says Bleier. He compares the process to a hornet’s nest: If an intruder threatens the nest, the entire swarm reacts immediately to keep him out. Only: Just like hornets, the EVs come does not cope particularly well with low temperatures.
The study with four participants found that the EV content in their noses was… cold fell by 42 percent. The research team published the details of the experiment on Tuesday together with the study in “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology“.
Cold season: How to protect yourself from illnesses in winter
If cold leads to reduced defenses, higher ones would have to be achieved temperatures So, consequently, protect yourself from becoming excessively ill in the winter. In fact, Bleier and his team also came up with this idea. But it doesn’t have to be a sock on your nose.
Die Pandemic gave us exactly the right tool for this problem, explains Bleier: “Masks not only help keep the viruses out, but also act like a sweater for the nose,” says the rhinologist. Your face needs a little more affection than usual in winter.
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