SmarterFitter

If you've ever fallen victim to over-training, then you probably know that too much exercise can lead to a nasty cold. It turns out that the flavenoid, quercetin - found in fruits, berries and tea - could offer some protection.

DARPA, the Pentagon's research arm, has been sponsoring studies to determine if quercetin could protect U.S. troops from infection. In a trial study, 40 male cyclists were given either one gram of the flavenoid - the amount found in 100 apples - or a placebo. The cyclists trained for three days at maximum intensity, after which nine of the cyclists in the placebo group had chest infections, while only one in the quercetin group was sick (sounds like a fun study to participate in).

The scientist believes quercetin's ability to bind to viruses and bacteria to stop them replicating had stopped the cyclists getting sick.

Link