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Could easy daily habit slash risk of respiratory infection by 36%?
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- The Japanese practice of "ugai," or gargling with water multiple times a day, is traditionally used to prevent colds and respiratory infections by washing away microbes before they cause illness.
- A 2005 study found that gargling with plain water reduced the incidence of colds by 36% compared to no gargling or using an antiseptic rinse, though subsequent research has produced mixed and inconclusive results.
- Later studies, including a 2014 study and a meta-analysis, found little to no strong evidence that gargling with water alone significantly prevents upper respiratory infections.
- Research on gargling with green tea, which contains antioxidants, showed some promise in reducing respiratory infections in some studies but not others, while mouthwash may help alleviate symptoms but hasn’t been proven to prevent confirmed illness.
- Gargling with saltwater or medicated mouthwash is recognized as beneficial for relieving symptoms once a person is already sick, though its preventive effectiveness remains uncertain.
