Immune function in marathon runners versus sedentary controls

Nieman, David C.; Buckley, Kevin; Henson, Dru A.; Warren, Beverly J.; Suttles, Jill; Ahle, J. C.; Simandle, S.; Fagoaga, Omar R.; Nehlsen-Cannarella, Sandra L.

doi:10.1249/00005768-199507000-00006

Cited by 122 publications

(82 citation statements)

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“…These data were not confirmed by Nieman et al [61], which did not demonstrate differences between runners and non-athletes, after mitogen stimulation.…”

Section: Physical Activity and Acquired Immunitycontrasting

confidence: 68%

Acquired immunity: immunosenescence and physical activity

Malaguarnera

Cristaldi

Lipari

2008

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act

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Several lines of evidence indicate that infectious diseases, cancer, and autoimmune disorders occur more frequently in elderly people, thus suggesting that altered function of immune organs and cells, such as thymus and T and B lymphocytes are of primary importance in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Furthermore, old subjects are less responsive to vaccine than younger because of immune changes. The most common changes accompanying the adaptive immune system include decrement of T and B cells proliferation, repertoire degeneracy, increase of the memory cell type, decreased numbers of naive cells, and shift from T helper 1 (Th1) to T helper 2 (Th2) response. Regular exercise in the elderly may improve the alterations in acquired immunity which follow the physiological process of aging, allowing a major resistance against external pathogens and a better quality of life.

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“…These data were not confirmed by Nieman et al [61], which did not demonstrate differences between runners and non-athletes, after mitogen stimulation.…”

Section: Physical Activity and Acquired Immunitycontrasting

confidence: 68%

Acquired immunity: immunosenescence and physical activity

Malaguarnera

Cristaldi

Lipari

2008

Eur Rev Aging Phys Act

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“…8,12,13,16 Trained rodents also demonstrate a greater NKCA. 17,18 Figure 2 summarizes the data from two studies comparing 22 male marathoners and 18 non-athletes, and 20 female elite rowers and 19 non-athletes.…”

Section: Innate Immunitymentioning

confidence: 98%

Exercise effects on systemic immunity

Nieman¹

2000

Immunol Cell Biol

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Summary Heavy exertion has acute and chronic influences on systemic immunity. In the resting state, the immune systems of athletes and non-athletes are more similar than disparate with the exception of NK cell activity, which tends to be elevated in athletes. Many components of the immune system exhibit adverse change after prolonged, heavy exertion. These immune changes occur in several compartments of the immune system and body (e.g. the skin, upper respiratory tract mucosal tissue, lung, blood and muscle). Although still open to interpretation, most exercise immunologists believe that during this 'open window' of impaired immunity (which may last between 3 and 72 h, depending on the immune measure) viruses and bacteria may gain a foothold, increasing the risk of subclinical and clinical infection. The infection risk may be amplified when other factors related to immune function are present, including exposure to novel pathogens during travel, lack of sleep, severe mental stress, malnutrition or weight loss.

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“…Data from studies of rats suggest that running wheel exercise can enhance innate immune function by modulating the expression of cytokines and chemokines in white adipose cells (Speaker et al, 2013). The function of the adaptive immune system can also be enhanced by endurance running, as indicated by increased levels of natural killer cells (Nieman et al, 1995). More direct evidence that exercise can improve immune function comes from studies in which the primary antibody and T cell responses to foreign antigens were measured in sedentary and physically active subjects.…”

Section: Challenge 2: Runningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenging Oneself Intermittently to Improve Health

Mattson

2014

Dose-Response

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h Humans and their predecessors evolved in environments where they were challenged intermittently with: 1) food scarcity; 2) the need for aerobic fitness to catch/kill prey and avoid or repel attackers; and 3) exposure to biological toxins present in foodstuffs. Accordingly, cells and organ systems acquired and retained molecular signaling and metabolic pathways through which the environmental challenges enhanced the functionality and resilience of the cells and organisms. Within the past 60 years there has been a precipitous diminution of such challenges in modern societies because of the development of technologies that provide a continuous supply of energy-dense processed foods and that largely eliminate the need for physical exertion. As a consequence of the modern 'couch potato' lifestyle, signaling pathways that mediate beneficial effects of environmental challenges on health and disease resistance are disengaged, thereby rendering people vulnerable to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancers and neurodegenerative disorders. Reversal of the epidemic of diseases caused by unchallenging lifestyles will require a society-wide effort to re-introduce intermittent fasting, exercise and consumption of plants containing hormetic phytochemicals into daily and weekly routines.

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Immune function in marathon runners versus sedentary controls

Cited by 122 publications

References 0 publications

Acquired immunity: immunosenescence and physical activity

Acquired immunity: immunosenescence and physical activity

Exercise effects on systemic immunity

Challenging Oneself Intermittently to Improve Health

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