10.07.2025 12:13
Mucus plays an important role in protecting us from diseases, and its color can even give us clues about our health. Colorless mucus indicates that the body is expelling something like pollen or dust, while white mucus suggests that a virus has entered the body. Yellow mucus indicates the presence of a large number of dead white blood cells being expelled from the body, and red mucus signifies that there is a wound inside the nose. On the other hand, mucus could be the new hope of modern medicine.
In ancient Greece, mucus was thought to be a body fluid responsible for balancing human health and personality. Hippocrates developed a theory stating that phlegm, along with yellow and black bile, was one of the four "humors." The balance of these four humors in humans determined their levels of temperament. Any excess in these could lead to diseases.
For example, it was believed that phlegm was produced in the brain and lungs, could increase significantly during cold and rainy seasons, and could even cause epileptic seizures. A person with a phlegmatic personality was thought to have a cold and melancholic disposition. Of course, we now know that mucus does not affect people's character and does not lead to diseases. On the contrary, it protects us from illnesses.
HOPE IN TREATMENT FROM COVID-19 TO LUNG DISEASES: MUCUS
No one wants their nose to run or to have a piece of mucus dangling from their nose after sneezing. The mucus in our nasal passages is one of the wonders of the human body. It protects us from external invaders and has such an exceptional structure that it provides important information about what is happening inside our bodies. Scientists now hope to harness the power of mucus to diagnose and treat many ailments, from Covid-19 to chronic lung diseases.
AN ADULT PRODUCES 100 MILLILITERS OF MUCUS A DAY
This sticky substance acts as a shield inside our noses, moistens our nasal passages, and traps all kinds of bacteria, viruses, pollen, and dirt trying to enter our bodies through the airways. Mucus, aided by hundreds of tiny hairs, serves as a barrier between the outside world and our inner world. An adult body produces 100 milliliters of mucus a day.
Daniela Ferreira, a professor of respiratory infections and vaccine science at Oxford University, notes that children are much more mucusy because their bodies are exposed to all the molecules in the world for the first time and learn to cope with them.
WHAT DOES THE COLOR OF YOUR MUCUS TELL YOU?
The color and consistency of our mucus give us some information about what is happening in our bodies at a glance. Mucus can act as a visual thermometer.
COLORLESS MUCUS: If colorless mucus is coming from your nose, it likely means that the body is expelling something that irritates our sinuses, such as pollen or dust.
WHITE MUCUS: White mucus indicates that a virus has entered the body. This is because white blood cells, which fight off invaders, cause the white color.
YELLOW MUCUS: If the consistency of the mucus thickens and turns a yellowish-green color, it means that a large number of dead white blood cells are present and being expelled from the body.
RED MUCUS: If your mucus is pinkish-red, it means it is slightly bloody, indicating that you have been blowing your nose a lot and that there may be a sore inside.
However, looking at mucus is just a first step.
IS MUCUS CONNECTED TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM?
The importance of the gut microbiome, which includes bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms, has been known for some time. However, scientists say that the microbiome in mucus is just as important. In fact, experts now believe that mucus is connected to human health and the proper functioning of the immune system. Everyone has a unique mucus microbiome.
Gender, age, location, dietary habits, and even whether or not you use e-cigarettes can all be influential. The structure of the microbiome that helps fight off invaders and some of these interactions are intricate.
For example, a study from last year found that whether potentially harmful Staphylococcus bacteria could live in the nose and make a person sick depended on how the bacteria in the mucus microbiome adhered to iron.
Prof. Ferreira is now working to identify what a healthy mucus microbiome looks like and whether it can be included in a nasal spray to improve mucus health, similar to consuming probiotics to enhance gut health.
Ferreria and her colleagues have identified bacteria that they believe create the perfect nasal microbiome. They are now testing whether these bacteria can settle in people's nasal passages and live long enough to improve their health. Ferreira is also working on enhancing the immune system and making it more responsive to vaccines due to the close connection between the mucus microbiome and the immune system. Research shows that the body's response to a vaccine can vary depending on the microbiome it has.
"COVID-19 TREATMENT IN THE IMMUNITY OF MUCUS"
For instance, studies on the Covid-19 vaccine have found that it affects the mucus microbiome, which in turn influences how effective the vaccine is. Prof. Ferreira states, "Covid-19 vaccines did a great job protecting us from the disease, but we still continued to transmit the virus. In fact, we could develop much better vaccines, and the next generation won't get sick from Covid-19, flu, or any other respiratory viruses, and all of this is related to the immunity in mucus." Ferreira's work to determine the formula for the perfect mucus microbiome will take a few more years.
MUCUS FROM HEALTHY PEOPLE TRANSFERRED TO PATIENTS
In Sweden, experts have begun transferring mucus from healthy individuals to patients showing symptoms of chronic nasal congestion and hay fever with rhinosinusitis. Researchers asked 22 adults to have syringes filled with mucus taken from their healthy friends or partners injected into their noses. In at least 16 patients, symptoms such as cough and facial pain decreased by 40% for up to three months.
Anders Martensson, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at Helsingborg Hospital in Sweden and the head of the research team, said, "This was great news for us. No one reported any negative side effects." He also notes that their work was inspired by other experts' research on gut microbiomes and fecal transplants.
However, this initial pilot study did not provide much data on how people's mucus microbiomes changed and what happened to specific bacteria. Therefore, a larger and more targeted study is on the way.
"WE USE MUCUS TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THE DISEASE"
In fact, mucus can also serve as an excellent barrier against chronic nasal and lung diseases. Jennifer Mulligan, an ear, nose, and throat specialist at the University of Florida, is conducting mucus studies on patients with rhinosinusitis and nasal polyps. These conditions are thought to affect between 5% and 12% of the population.
In the early years of her career, Mulligan used to surgically remove affected nasal tissue from patients with rhinosinusitis. Now, her studies have shown that mucus could be a precise element to examine what is happening in the body of a person with rhinosinusitis.
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Mulligan says, "We use mucus to find out who the real culprit might be and what exactly causes this disease."
"THE RIGHT TREATMENT CAN BE QUICKLY IDENTIFIED WITH MUCUS"
Similarly, the disease, which can vary greatly from person to person, is treated through trial and error and can require months of expensive treatment. Mulligan emphasizes that the right treatment and necessary surgery can be quickly identified through mucus analysis.
"MUCUS IS THE FUTURE OF PERSONALIZED MEDICINE"
Mulligan also notes that what happens in the lungs is mirrored in the nose, and this diagnostic and treatment tool can also be used for lung diseases.
Likewise, research teams around the world are developing similar diagnostic tools and methods for diseases such as asthma, lung cancer, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s. Mucus is also used to measure a person's level of radiation exposure, and recent studies have shown that by examining sticky nasal fluid, it is possible to accurately measure how much a person has been affected by heavy metals and micro-particles in the air.
Mulligan states, "Mucus is the future of personalized medicine. I wholeheartedly believe in this."
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