How's the saying go -- starve a fever? Feed a cold? I can never remember. But here's some interesting news: A common cold bug (AD-36) not only infects your respiratory system and makes you feel like hell, it also causes your fat cells to get hungry and suck up all the fat they can find.

Pretty wild, right?

Scientists found that up to 1/3 of obese people tested positive for the virus, compared to 11 percent of those who maintained a healthy weight. While these findings don't really apply to you and me -- because what can you do to avoid a common cold virus, beyond becoming Bubble Girl? -- it's one piece of the obesity puzzle for scientists.

So what should you do if you catch a cold? Take care of yourself by getting lots of rest and drinking plenty of fluids. And when you feel better, take care of yourself by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly.

Oh, and wash your hands. It is cold and flu season, after all.

Source

Is it possible to catch obesity like you'd catch a cold, the flu, or pink eye? Yes, say researchers who believe obesity is due, in part, to a viral infection.

Adenovirus Ad36 -- one in a family of about 50 viruses that cause colds, respiratory infections, gastrointestinal problems, and eye inflammations -- could be the culprit in some cases of obesity in humans and other animals. In fact, it's been linked to a 50 to 100 percent gain in body fat in some animals. And 30 percent of people screened for the virus in one study had the antibodies, compared to 10 percent of people of a healthy weight range.

"We can't say that the virus caused obesity in all those people," says researcher Richard Atkinson, emeritus professor of medicine and nutrition at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. "It's still speculation, some say a gross speculation." Still, Ad36 research has led Atkinson to create an obesity research center in Richmond, Virginia where people can pay for tests to determine whether it's food or viral exposure responsible for their extra pounds.

There are too many restrictions on testing right now for Atkinson and fellow scientists to make any convincing human conclusions. But they are pretty convinced by their study on mice and monkeys. What they've learned so far: Animals inoculated with the virus gain weight even when their food intake remains the same. And Ad36 is transmissible from animal to animal.

Source

The adenovirus has been around for years, causing cold and flu-like symptoms, including some stomach flus, is gaining lots of attention lately -- for being potentially deadly. New and improved testing methods has revealed that the adenovirus is prevalent and sometimes fatal in healthy people, often fatal in those with a compromised immune system -- those awaiting a bone marrow transplant, for instance.

But knowing the adenovirus is the first step to stopping it in its tracks. In fact, vaccines have already been contracted for certain strains. In the meantime, what can you do? I know it sounds cliche but washing your hands is the best way to prevent transmission of any virus.

For more info on the adenovirus and recent findings, check out this article.

Source