Are us bodybuilders less susceptible to colds and flu?

[imtoosexy 204]

I guess we should be in many ways and observed we certainly seem to stave off those symptoms more than mere mortals. I was also once told that sufficient Vitamin C, Cod Liver Oil and Zinc make it very difficult for colds and flu, so maybe that helps us also?

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[Seppuku71 1266]

4 minutes ago, imtoosexy said:

I guess we should be in many ways and observed we certainly seem to stave off those symptoms more than mere mortals. I was also once told that sufficient Vitamin C, Cod Liver OIl and Zinc make it very difficult for colds and flu, so maybe that helps us also?

I think it depends - pushing workouts too hard can make you run down, and doing that while being exposed to any virus is asking for trouble.  Vit d3 is the darling of the vitamin world currently though, you should be popping 5k iu of that a day if you're not sunbathing in the tropics.  Just been reading that the.nhs are going to be giving it out to at risk people to try and help fend off covid complications

[invisiblekid 1316]

No, I'd say we're just as likely, if not more tbh. We're constantly hammering our bodies, our CNS and often taking in exogenous testosterone which IIRC at higher levels has been seen to weaken immune systems. 

[scottysafc 118]

I have an immune disorder and would regularly get colds that would linger for weeks and by the time I'd just about recovered boom I'd get hit with another one (Oct - Apr).

I don't think I have ever had a cold when I was lifting weights and eating everything in sight. 

[monkeybiker 4661]

I wouldn't call myself a bodybuilder more a bit of a retard that lifts weights. I find if I'm eating well and sleeping well I very rarely get sick. 

I went to Nepal last year to hike to Everest base camp with 6 others and they were getting ill, going off there food, having toilet troubles and I was fine, I was eating there leftovers. I'm a bit of a super hero in many ways. 

[imtoosexy 204]

I tend to pick things up when trying to cut up a bit (I fluctuate between 16 and 15stone) so I kind of get the 'eating everything in sight' theory. But I do think there's much to be said for cod liver oil, which obviously also has D3 in abundance

[Kill Kcal 1058]

I've always got a cold, wouldn't say I was a body builder but I do chuck weights around 4 times a week.

[Seppuku71 1266]

On 30/11/2020 at 6:26 PM, monkeybiker said:

I wouldn't call myself a bodybuilder more a bit of a retard that lifts weights. 

Lol, i like it. If i ever make a profile on a dating site i'll have to borrow that  

[Fina 992]

The opposite, our CNS is under more stress, which weakens immune system.

If you add in AAS, it worsens still.

[Toranator 748]

Personally I get a cold like every 2/3 years, had flu just once when I was like 17 and it was dreadful, not sure if my colds are amplified like a regular cold I won't catch but when it's jacked up I will catch it cause when I have a cold I'm a proper baby about it, everyone knows I ain't feeling great put it that way. 

When I had flu that was horrendous, and I had covid before it was cool in February (I'm 90% certain anyway never got tested) but had a cough for 3  weeks and felt run down tired etc cut my gym sessions down to 4x per week. Still wasn't as bad as I'd of guessed. Nowhere near what the media portray for me personally anyway. 

[neverminder 252]

Nobody is immune to common cold until they are. Common cold is caused by hundreds of strains of rhinovirus. Once you get infected by one particular strain you become immune to it, that's why older people get less colds.

It is widely known that virtually any kind of physical training brings positive effects to overall health. As someone who trains I don't drink, don't smoke, take vitamins and supplements, try to maintain good sleep hygiene, etc. All that plus good genetics makes me a lot more healthy than an average Joe, so whenever I get a cold, in most cases it's so mild I barely notice it.

[alphafit 298]

To tell you the truth, I have researched this topics a lot because prior to me starting bodybuilding(12-13 years old) I used to get sick quite easy, someone sneeze and BAM i am sick, though when I started wrestling(13 years old) and bodybuilding not soon after everything changed. I guess my immune system started working properly or it go boosted somehow.  I believe that even though I am currently sick with covid being an athlete made it easier for me.

When you exercises it increases the blood and lymph flow as your muscles contract, and that increases the circulation of immune cells  known as T-Cells across your body at a higher rate and number. These T-Cells are responsible for finding pathogens (viruses) in your body and wiping them out. And if this happens like a routine, this proccess happens everyday.

Though by exercises I don't only mean bodybuilding, I am talking about weight lifting and cardio together.

From what I have red there is way to little research on strength training however most studies that are conducted are in support of it and that it keeps the immune system running the same as combained workouts, however reps that cause severe muscle damage like focusing eccentric portions of the lift and  super huge amounts of weights for 1RM,  stress out your immune system, because your body also has to ''fix'' the muscle tears and sometimes it could sacriface one or the other in prirority. 

As humans we were made super adaptable, so if something becomes routine our body is forced to adapt , the more you push it, the more it will adapt, so the more we push ourselves the less of a chance for the body '' to ease off '' of the  working out zone.

[iron2000 92]

I'm fairly certain hormones make you less susceptible. So many occasions when a buddy comes off and immediately catches something... Can't be a coincidence.

Although I did catch a cold recently. I sucked on zinc tabs, took 50k of vit d and a bunch of vitamin c. Pretty much killed it immediately. It was the zinc most likely as that the only one that has research behind it on cutting cold duration in half if you start at the right time.

[Popeye66 267]

On 30/11/2020 at 4:30 PM, Seppuku71 said:

I think it depends - pushing workouts too hard can make you run down, and doing that while being exposed to any virus is asking for trouble.  Vit d3 is the darling of the vitamin world currently though, you should be popping 5k iu of that a day if you're not sunbathing in the tropics.  Just been reading that the.nhs are going to be giving it out to at risk people to try and help fend off covid complications

That’s right about the NHS. I’ve just received a letter yesterday saying I’m entitled to 4 months supply for free.