Drinking May Prevent the Common Cold
December 28th, 2007 9:29 AM
I kid you not. The New York Times via the Seattle Post-Intelligence debunks the myth that alcohol can cure a cold but does conclude that alcohol may help prevent colds. Apparently, there were two legitimate medical studies that support this claim. A 1993 study at Carnegie Mellon found that moderate drinking was correlated with increased resistance to colds, and a 2002 study in Spain found that drinking 8-14 glasses of wine a week led to a nearly 60% decrease in the risk of catching a cold.
So the next time your boss catches you drinking at your desk, just explain that you’re decreasing the chances of your having to call in sick.
