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Stress
Ups Risk Of Catching Common Cold
NEW
YORK (Reuters Health) - People who see the proverbial glass as
half empty may be nearly four times more likely than their optimistic
peers to come down with a cold, study findings suggest.
According
to the report, psychological stress, particularly the chronic
type that may accompany a neurotic and negative personality, is
a risk factor for colds. An optimistic outlook and outgoing personality
seemed to protect individuals, the investigators found.
``Our findings
indicate that high levels of psychological stress are moderately
associated with common colds,'' Dr. Bahi Takkouche and colleagues
from the University of Santiago de Compostela in Santiago de Compostela,
Spain, report in the May issue of Epidemiology.
While the
common cold is rarely serious, it can be blamed for about 30 million
days of lost work in the US each year, the study authors explain.
To investigate
whether stress increased the likelihood of developing a cold,
the researchers surveyed more than 1,100 Spanish university staff
and students at regular intervals over a 1-year period. The study
homed in on different types of stress including stress life events,
perceived stress, and having a generally negative outlook and
neurotic personality compared with a positive and extroverted
one.
Individuals
with a negative outlook were at greatest risk of developing colds
regardless of their use of vitamin C and zinc, and their smoking
and drinking habits. Those at next highest risk were individuals
who believed that they were under stress. These people were nearly
three times as likely to develop a cold, the report indicates.
Psychological
stress can take a toll on the immune system by reducing the concentration
of cytokines, proteins that help to ward off infections. Individuals
who are under stress are also more prone to behaviors that can
make them vulnerable to disease, such as smoking, consuming alcohol
and eating an unhealthy diet. It can also raise the perception
of illness, Takkouche and colleagues note.
SOURCE:
Epidemiology 2001;11:345-349.
Reference
Source 89
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