University study aims to help endurance athletes

The University of Derby is encouraging local endurance athletes to take part in a study which could help reduce the number of times they catch colds and flu.

The study is being led by Dr Corinna Chidley, lecturer in sport, outdoor and exercise science at the university.

Working with colleagues at the University of Kent and the University of Cardiff, she is exploring the effectiveness of throat sprays in preventing incidence of cold and flu in athletes.

The team is looking for runners, cyclists, swimmers and triathletes aged 18 and over who train and/or compete regularly and have done so for three years or more.

Participants who complete the study will receive £100 as a ‘thank you’ for taking part.

She said: “Athletes who are moderately active tend to have a better immune system than the general population.

“However, when training intensifies over a sustained period, this can place the immune system under more stress, leading to more colds, especially in the colder months.

“This impacts their ability to train and can ultimately have repercussions for their competition performance – it can make the difference between whether they finish on the podium or not.”

During the 90-day trial participants will be given a commercially available throat spray or a placebo.

They will be asked to complete a daily questionnaire to record their training and any illnesses.

If they have any cold or flu symptoms, they will be asked to complete a throat swab. which will then be tested to determine which pathogens are present.

These swabs will be used to identify what pathogen has caused the illness.

This will help determine which common illnesses the spray is protecting against, as well as helping to inform future research studies in similar populations.

Dr Chidley said: “We are excited to see what this study will tell us and hope that we will be able to draw conclusions that make it easier for endurance athletes to train and compete with minimal disruption from colds and flu.”

To take part in the study e-mail Dr Chidley at c.chidley@derby.ac.uk.