Could a teaspoon of red wine prevent the common cold if taken when the first symptom appears?

Question

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1986514.stm
Red wine 'protects from colds'
Another health benefit has been attributed to red wine - fighting off the common cold.

According to scientists in Spain, drinking wine, especially red, stops people from developing colds.

Something in wine seems to have a protective effect because the same was not seen with beer and spirits.

The evidence comes from a year long study of 4,000 volunteers.

Have tried this for some time now. When symptons first appear, have taken about a teaspoon of Three Thieves red wine and never got the cold. Many of my friends have had similar results. If you catch the cold, then it will have to run its course. OH! Where did the term "Catch a cold" come from? Thanks for your answers!

Answer 1

I've heard that red wine can help prevent colds and heart disease, but I think you would have to drink a glass every day

Answer 2

I am glad to hear that scientists from a country with a major export market in red wine managed to find 4000 volunteers to drink red wine and tell them that they are healthy as a result.

I think that if there was an effect like that it would have been discovered thousands of years ago, not just this week on the Internet.

As part of that study how did they know those people fought off the cold instead of just happening to not have a cold? I think this is another poorly thought-through study that is tickling the media's enthusiasm for pseudo science to fill their air time.

Answer 3

Research done in Spain? Could they have an ulterior motive for waxing poetic about the benefits of wine--I'd have to say yes. However, if you do have a cold and you take a couple of belts of wine, chances are you'll feel better in that you won't care if you have a cold or not. Scotch, whiskey, rum etc. seem to have similar medicinal properties.

Answer 4

In a short answer: no it can't

Answer 5

NO N DONT B SO SILLY !ASK REVELEVENT QUESTIONS!