Exercise & Immunity

category

Exercise profoundly modulates immune function through multiple mechanisms — with moderate regular exercise enhancing innate immunity (increased NK cell activity, neutrophil and macrophage function), adaptive immunity (improved T-cell proliferation and antibody response to vaccination), anti-inflammatory signaling (IL-6 from muscle producing IL-10 and IL-1ra that downregulate systemic inflammation), and surveillance of cancer cells (NK cell and cytotoxic T-cell activity enhanced by aerobic exercise) — while excessive high-intensity exercise without adequate recovery produces the 'open window' of transient immune suppression lasting 1–72 hours post-exercise.

Role

Exercise immunology is the science of the immune system's transformation with physical training — explaining why regularly active people have fewer and shorter respiratory infections, mount stronger vaccine responses, have lower cancer rates, and maintain immune competence longer into aging than sedentary people. Most people conceptualize immune health in terms of supplements, sleep, and avoiding sick people — without any model of exercise as a primary immune system developer and regulator. The person who understands that their twice-weekly aerobic sessions are directly enhancing the NK cell activity that surveys for and destroys cancerous cells has a more complete and more motivating model of exercise's most consequential health effects than the one who exercises primarily for cardiovascular or body composition outcomes.

Subtopics

References

Exercise and the Immune System – David Nieman

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