effects of a hot drink

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The effects of a hot drink on nasal airflow and symptoms of common

cold and flu -

Common Cold Centre and Healthcare Clinical Trials, Cardiff School of

Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom.

Hot drinks are a common treatment for common cold and flu but there

are no studies reported in the scientific and clinical literature on

this mode of treatment.

This study investigated the effects of a hot fruit drink on objective

and subjective measures of nasal airflow, and on subjective scores

for common cold/flu symptoms in 30 subjects suffering from common

cold/flu.

The results demonstrate that the hot drink had no effect on

objective measurement of nasal airflow but it did cause a significant

improvement in subjective measures of nasal airflow.

The hot drink provided immediate and sustained relief from symptoms

of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness and

tiredness, whereas the same drink at room temperature only provided

relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough and sneezing.

The effects of the drinks are discussed in terms of a placebo effect

and physiological effects on salivation and airway secretions.

In conclusion the results support the folklore that a hot tasty

drink is a beneficial treatment for relief of most symptoms of common

cold and flu.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19145994?dopt=Abstract

Alana