Q. There are those who say going out in the cold weather makes you sick while I say the cold weather isn't to blame. Who is correct?
A. Well, here are a couple of interesting facts: the cells that fight infection in your body actually increase if you go out into the cold. And cold viruses grow best at about 91 degrees.
It's safe to say that the cold weather itself does not make you sick but there are conditions related to the cold weather that can make colds flourish in the winter. During colder seasons people tend to congregate inside making it easier for germs and viruses to be shared.
Despite being called the common "cold," lower temperatures alone won't make you sick. In fact, the exact opposite is true. "Cells that fight infection in body actually increase if you go out into the cold," said Rachel C. Vreeman, M.D., co-author of "Don't Swallow Your Gum! Myths, Half-Truths, and Outright Lies About Your Body and Health."
It's your body's way of combatting the stress of freezing temps. Plus, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, cold viruses grow best at about 91 degrees; if you're outside in the cold, your nostrils are surely colder than that.
It should also be noted that sunlight/ultraviolet light kills viruses. With less sunlight exposure in the winter, it can also be viable for colds to spread.
Dr. Todd Levin is a board-certified allergist with the Chattanooga Allergy Clinic and a member of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society.
Dr. Todd Levin / Photo courtesy Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society