Studies show that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has an important impact on health in general. In response to environmental demands, homeostatic processes are often compromised, therefore determining an increase in the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)’s functions and a decrease in the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)’s functions. In modern societies, chronic stress associated with an unhealthy lifestyle contributes to ANS dysfunction. In this review, we provide a brief introduction to the ANS network, its connections to the HPA axis and its stress responses and give an overview of the critical implications of ANS in health and disease—focused specifically on the immune system, cardiovascular, oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA), the SNS and more recently the PNS have been identified as regulating the immune system. The HPA axis and PNS have anti-inflammatory effects and the SNS has been shown to have both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects. The positive impact of physical exercise (PE) is well known and has been studied by many researchers, but its negative impact has been less studied. Depending on the type, duration and individual characteristics of the person doing the exercise (age, gender, disease status, etc.), PE can be considered a physiological stressor. The negative impact of PE seems to be connected with the oxidative stress induced by effort.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in various processes, including brain plasticity, learning and memory, neuronal development, nociception, inflammation, appetite regulation, digestion, metabolism, energy balance, motility, and regulation of stress and emotions. Physical exercise (PE) is considered a valuable non-pharmacological therapy that is an immediately available and cost-effective method with a lot of health benefits, one of them being the activation of the endogenous cannabinoids. Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are generated as a response to high-intensity activities and can act as short-term circuit breakers, generating antinociceptive responses for a short and variable period of time. A runner’s high is an ephemeral feeling some sport practitioners experience during endurance activities, such as running. The release of eCBs during sustained physical exercise appears to be involved in triggering this phenomenon. The last decades have been characterized by an increased interest in this emotional state induced by exercise, as it is believed to alleviate pain, induce mild sedation, increase euphoric levels, and have anxiolytic effects. This review provides information about the current state of knowledge about endocannabinoids and physical effort and also an overview of the studies published in the specialized literature about this subject.

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Oxidative stress is induced by tobacco smoking and is also associated with exposure to air pollution, which are two of the most important risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to correlate tobacco use and exposure to air pollution with oxidative stress markers useful in clinical practice in patients with COPD. A total of 102 patients were included and the levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), malondialdehyde, uric acid and number of packs-years (PY) were determined. Also, six different ratios were used to assess the source of exposure. The results obtained in this study show an admission of pollutants according to smoking status (former smokers/smoker/non-smokers) quantified in average total concentrations for the group of patients with COPD of 4.12 ng/mL, 6.76 ng/mL, 6.04 ng/mL. The six ratios used show that in COPD, the content of PAHs in the blood could be a result of diesel emissions and fuel combustion. Uric acid levels were lower in the smoker group of COPD patients (mean = 5.21 mg/dL), which indicates that oxidative stress is intensified with each cigarette smoked. Additionally, high concentrations of malondialdehyde were quantified for smoking patients diagnosed with COPD (mean = 2.72 µmol/L) compared to former smokers (mean = 2.43 µmol/L) and non-smoking (mean = 2.32 µmol/L) patients, which is another indicator of the implication of smoking in oxidative stress in COPD patients.

Atherosclerosis remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide characterized by the deposition of lipids and fibrous elements in the form of atheroma plaques in vascular areas which are hemodynamically overloaded. The global burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is steadily increasing and is considered the largest known non-infectious pandemic. The management of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is increasing the cost of health care worldwide, which is a concern for researchers and physicians and has caused them to strive to find effective long-term strategies to improve the efficiency of treatments by managing conventional risk factors. Primary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is the preferred method to reduce cardiovascular risk. Fasting, a Mediterranean diet, and caloric restriction can be considered useful clinical tools. The protective impact of physical exercise over the cardiovascular system has been studied in recent years with the intention of explaining the mechanisms involved; the increase in heat shock proteins, antioxidant enzymes and regulators of cardiac myocyte proliferation concentration seem to be the molecular and biochemical shifts that are involved. Developing new therapeutic strategies such as vagus nerve stimulation, either to prevent or slow the disease’s onset and progression, will surely have a profound effect on the lives of millions of people.