{"id":20058,"date":"2025-09-22T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T14:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/?p=20058"},"modified":"2025-09-18T05:56:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T09:56:14","slug":"is-this-the-real-reason-some-people-never-get-colds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/is-this-the-real-reason-some-people-never-get-colds-20058\/","title":{"rendered":"Is this the real reason some people never get colds?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some people seem to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/doctors-urge-seek-medical-attention-immediately-if-you-notice-this-warning-sign-in-your-body-19073\/\">get sick<\/a><\/strong> at the slightest change of weather, while others <strong>never catch colds even in the middle of flu season<\/strong>. This puzzling difference has caught the attention of cold experts, who are trying to understand why certain individuals resist infections that quickly take others down.<\/p>\n<p>The common cold doesn\u2019t have a cure, and remedies only ease symptoms. Yet, researchers say<strong> there\u2019s more to the story than just bad luck<\/strong>. According to experts, both genetics and prior exposure to viruses can play a big role in whether someone gets sick or stays healthy.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_76 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Contenido<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/is-this-the-real-reason-some-people-never-get-colds-20058\/#Why_some_people_get_sick_while_others_dont\" >Why some people get sick while others don\u2019t<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/is-this-the-real-reason-some-people-never-get-colds-20058\/#The_science_of_cold_immunity\" >The science of cold immunity<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/is-this-the-real-reason-some-people-never-get-colds-20058\/#Everyday_actions_that_increase_or_lower_your_risk\" >Everyday actions that increase or lower your risk<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_some_people_get_sick_while_others_dont\"><\/span>Why some people get sick while others don\u2019t<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Cold specialists describe it as the million-dollar question:<strong> why do some people develop symptoms and others don\u2019t<\/strong>, even when they share the same environment? Studies suggest that our genes influence how vulnerable we are to infections, while our immune history provides an extra shield.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org\/discussion\/mayo-clinic-minute-preventing-colds-and-flu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Gregory Poland<\/a><\/strong>, director of the Mayo Clinic Vaccine Research Group, explains that age can actually work in favor of older adults. Over the decades, they\u2019ve faced many more viruses than younger people. <strong>That experience leaves behind immunity to specific strains<\/strong>. For example, the cold that knocked out a younger passenger might be one that an older person has already beaten before.<\/p>\n<p>But chance still plays a part. <strong>Cold viruses spread through the air<\/strong>, making it easy for a cough or sneeze in a crowded plane, theater, or church to send millions of particles toward someone else. As Poland points out, touching the eyes, nose, or mouth after contact with contaminated surfaces like doorknobs is another common path to infection.<\/p>\n<p>He also emphasizes the importance of <strong>&#8220;respiratory etiquette.&#8221;<\/strong> Many adults, he says, don\u2019t follow the basic rule children learn in school: coughing or sneezing into the elbow instead of into the hand or the air. This small step could reduce the chain of transmission significantly.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_science_of_cold_immunity\"><\/span>The science of cold immunity<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Another expert, John Treanor from the University of Rochester, highlights that it <strong>may take years before scientists fully understand why colds affect people so differently<\/strong>. Still, uncovering the mechanisms behind genetic resistance or lasting immunity could help create targeted vaccines or treatments in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of such a breakthrough would be significant. Poland notes that the average person spends about one year of their life sick in bed with colds. <strong>Unlocking the secrets of immunity could dramatically reduce that burden.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the end, it\u2019s a<strong> mix of genes, prior exposures, and <a href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/psychology\/emotions-and-mental-health\/this-one-simple-habit-is-linked-to-greater-happiness-according-to-science-19310\/\">everyday habits<\/a><\/strong> that determine whether you stay healthy or end up with a runny nose. And for now, experts remind us that while luck plays a role, our actions\u2014like practicing better hygiene\u2014can make a big difference too.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Everyday_actions_that_increase_or_lower_your_risk\"><\/span>Everyday actions that increase or lower your risk<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Experts warn that many infections are passed almost invisibly in daily routines. In crowded places, people frequently touch their faces without noticing. A quick rub of the eyes or a hand over the mouth can transfer millions of viral particles. Poland describes how, within minutes, t<strong>hose same hands often reach out in a handshake, spreading the virus further.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This highlights the <strong>importance of small choices<\/strong>. Something as simple as using hand sanitizer after leaving the bathroom, avoiding unnecessary face-touching, or keeping distance when someone nearby is coughing can make a big difference. Even decisions like turning on the overhead fan on a plane, which can circulate airborne particles faster, may affect exposure risk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some people seem to get sick at the slightest change of weather, while others never catch colds even in the middle of flu season. This puzzling difference has caught the attention of cold experts, who are trying to understand why certain individuals resist infections that quickly take others down. The common cold doesn\u2019t have a &#8230; <a title=\"Is this the real reason some people never get colds?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/health\/is-this-the-real-reason-some-people-never-get-colds-20058\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Is this the real reason some people never get colds?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":20064,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20058"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20079,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20058\/revisions\/20079"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20064"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/metabolic\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}