‘Feed a cold, starve a fever’ mantra really works and could slash sepsis deaths, say docs
A new study reveals extra nutrition helps patients recover from viruses, but could make bacteria-induced fevers worse
THE old wives' tale 'feed a cold, starve a fever' really works, scientists say.
Tests on mice showed they were more likely to recover from cold viruses when given food.
But they only survived infection with bacteria - which cause fever - when they stopped eating.
The findings, published in the journal Cell, could have implications for the treatment of serious conditions like sepsis, researchers said.
It kills nearly 40,000 Brits a year.
But feeding patterns in patients may in future depend on whether the blood poisoning bug is caused by bacteria or a virus.
Scientists think some patients made sick by fever-causing bacteria might have more chance of recovering if they are deprived of food, while those struck by viruses like colds may need extra nutrition.
A team at Yale University carried out the study.
They found mice with a fever due to infection by the food poisoning bacterium listeria died when fed sugar.
But the ones given no food eventually recovered.
When they repeated the study with a flu virus they found the opposite effect.
Mice force-fed sugar survived while those denied food died.
Researcher Professor Ruslan Medzhitov said: "We were surprised at how profound the effects were.