Regular exercise boosts the immune system
This translates into decreased disease risk
Most experts agree that regular bouts of moderate intensity exercise lasting about 45 minutes are beneficial for the immune system
Breaking a sweat is often touted as one of the most powerful choices we can make to improve our health , and one key mechanism to explain such benefits centres around the immune system .
Most experts agree that regular bouts of moderate intensity exercise lasting about 45 minutes are beneficial for the immune system , especially for older adults and people with chronic diseases .
For instance , some studies show that active people come down with fewer upper respiratory infections compared to individuals who are more sedentary , Drs �ohn Campbell and �ames Turner of the Department of Health at the University of Bath in the U� , wrote in The Conversation . Similarly , several types of exercise have been found to improve the immune response to vaccination , thus helping the body protect itself against infections .
Working out also facilitates the healing process of the skin , which is the first barrier the body has against pathogens , thus reducing the risk that bacteria and viruses enter tissues through wounds , explained the doctors .
And even when pathogens manage to enter the body , exercise strengthens its lines of defence . A session of exercise can make many immune cells , including natural kill cells , move into the bloodstream . After exercise , these cells go to in�ammation sites to look for and get rid of pathogens and damaged cells . During this process , the immune system can even detect cancer cells , they wrote .
Exercise is also able to improve immunological memory , or the capacity of the immune system to respond more rapidly and effectively to pathogens encountered previously . Evidence suggests lifelong regular exercise contributes to maintaining healthy levels of immune cells that recognise past pathogens as people grow older .
In a scientific review in the �ournal of Sport and Health Science , people who engaged in brisk walks for about 45 minutes saw an increase in immune cells around the body for up to three hours after the walk , study author Dr David Nieman , a professor in the department of biology at Appalachian State University , told Health .
To make sure these become long-term benefits , people should keep exercising regularly . “ If you go out for 45 minutes of exercise the next day , this all happens again ,” he said . “ It all adds up as time goes on .”
A previous study Dr Nieman conducted in 20�� found that people who did aerobic exercise five or more days a week experienced a lowered number of upper respiratory tract infections , such as the common cold , by more than 40 percent .
“ Exercise really is a housekeeping activity , where it helps the immune system patrol the body and detect and evade bacteria and viruses ,” he said . Hence , you can ’ t expect to have the immune benefits of exercise unless you ’ re consistent with it in the same way as your home can ’ t be clean if you don ’ t do regular housekeeping .
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com SEPTEMBER 2022
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