# Can drinking alcohol prevent colds? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660 "2005-12-30T01:03:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![spankari](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@spankari](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spankari)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/1 "2005-12-30T01:03:31Z")
The last time I had a cold or a sickness of any kind was February 1999 and I never really drank much before that. Since March 1999, I’ve averaged maybe 3 or 4 beers per day and haven’t had even a minor cold since. Is alcohol effective in killing some germs in the mouth that cause sickness or am I just having 7 years of good luck? I’ve even been around plenty of sick people and have sometime shared the same glass, so it’s not as if I I’m OCD about avoiding germs. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/2 "2005-12-30T01:18:06Z")
It’s good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/3 "2005-12-30T06:29:53Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > It’s good luck. Plus, If you drink more, you’ll be even healthier. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Waterman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Waterman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waterman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/4 "2005-12-30T06:54:49Z")
It makes sense - after all isn’t alcohol an antiseptic? And BTW if you’re going to accept that then by all means you can extend it to not only reducing colds but also heart trouble and any number of other ailments. Though I understand liver function can also be pretty important. :rolleyes: :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/5 "2005-12-30T07:16:38Z")
No. My dad has drank 6-12 beers a day for my entire life and he’s gotten plenty of colds. Besides, colds can get you through your nose too. So unless you’re also [snorting alcohol](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=346595) it’s just good luck. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/6 "2005-12-30T07:49:03Z")
It can make you not _care_ if you have a cold. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/7 "2005-12-30T08:59:58Z")
I wish ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/8 "2005-12-30T14:45:38Z")
Alcohol kills germs. Germs are in your blood. Drinking alcohol gets it into your blood. Alcohol kills germs. You must drink to get better. 🙂 If you don’t get better, you’ll be feeling better anyway, so it’s a win-win. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/9 "2005-12-30T18:14:21Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Alcohol kills germs. > > Germs are in your blood. > > Drinking alcohol gets it into your blood. > > Alcohol kills germs. > > You must drink to get better. 🙂 If you don’t get better, you’ll be feeling better anyway, so it’s a win-win. Speaking with my microbiology degree in hand, I’ll just way that’s way wrong on many levels. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/10 "2005-12-30T19:24:40Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Speaking with my microbiology degree in hand, I’ll just way that’s way wrong on many levels. Pshaw… damn smarmy scientists with all their fancy answers. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-drinking-alcohol-prevent-colds/337660/11 "2005-12-30T21:33:52Z")
Jesus never had a cold. Therefore, colds are caused by sin.