Researchers at Cardiff University's Common Cold Centre, the world's only facility focused on researching and testing new treatments for cold and flu, have just published the results of the first-of-its-kind study on warm drinks and colds in the latest issue of the journal Rhinology.

“It is surprising that this is the first scientific research on the benefit of a hot drink for treating cold and flu symptoms,” confirms centre director Professor Ron Eccles.

Much of what we know about the common cold, and the more serious and lasting flu come from twenty years of work by the team at the Common Cold Centre.

Scientists now recognizes that colds are brought on by as many as 200 different viruses, and the means they use to invade our bodies.

But while we understand more, we're still no closer to a cure - finding or developing one medication to vanquish all those different viruses is next to impossible.

Although more common in the colder months, summer colds; colds while on vacation or after traveling by air have often become complaints for many of us.

Without a cure in sight, ways to treat cold symptoms are the focus of much attention.

The time honored remedy of a hot drink studied in this latest work was an apple and blackcurrant combination served at both room temperature and heated to 70ºC, as Mom always suggested. The subjects were 30 volunteers with colds - 21 women, 9 men.

The heated low calorie, low sugar (but still sweet) fruit drink offered immediate and sustained relief from symptoms of runny nose, coughing, sneezing, sore throat, chills and fatigue.

Coughing, sore throat, chills and fatigue responded at once to the soothing warmed drink, while it took about 15 minutes for volunteers to report relief of runny nose and sneezing.

The same drink at room temperature provided relief of fewer symptoms namely runny nose, coughing and sneezing.

The hot fruity drink produced no objective measurements in terms of nasal airflow, but it did cause a big improvement in subjective measurements of this airflow. This opens the door to concerns about the placebo effect - the psychological effect of just being treated bringing an improvement in symptoms without any medication haven been given.

In the case of the Common Cold Centre study, it could be the taste, smell and temperature of the drink that are responsible for the improvement in cold symptoms.

And though common cold medications take up a good amount of space on store shelves, alternative treatments like zinc and Echinacea are popular choices for stopping a cold from “emerging”, or once one has started, shortening the duration of the symptoms.

Menthol and garlic have also been shown to be helpful, as has ascorbate (from vitamin C) and the garlic component Allicin (found only in garlic powder or fresh garlic).

So now you have the scientific evidence to back up the urge for that warm, soothing drink to help ease your cold or flu symptoms.

To avoid the cold virus in the first place, you might consider practicing good hand washing (especially before eating), eating a healthy, balanced diet and getting the rest you need, especially if you feel cold symptoms coming on.

Avoiding large crowds and managing stress are also very beneficial to stop a cold developing and staying healthy through both summer or winter.