Physical exercise, immune response, and susceptibility to infections—current knowledge and growing research areas
(2022) In Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 77(9). p.2653-2664- Abstract
This review presents state-of-the-art knowledge and identifies knowledge gaps for future research in the area of exercise-associated modifications of infection susceptibility. Regular moderate-intensity exercise is believed to have beneficial effects on immune health through lowering inflammation intensity and reducing susceptibility to respiratory infections. However, strenuous exercise, as performed by professional athletes, may promote infection: in about half of athletes presenting respiratory symptoms, no causative pathogen can be identified. Acute bouts of exercise enhance the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which may induce infection-like respiratory symptoms. Relatively few studies have assessed the influence of regularly... (More)
This review presents state-of-the-art knowledge and identifies knowledge gaps for future research in the area of exercise-associated modifications of infection susceptibility. Regular moderate-intensity exercise is believed to have beneficial effects on immune health through lowering inflammation intensity and reducing susceptibility to respiratory infections. However, strenuous exercise, as performed by professional athletes, may promote infection: in about half of athletes presenting respiratory symptoms, no causative pathogen can be identified. Acute bouts of exercise enhance the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which may induce infection-like respiratory symptoms. Relatively few studies have assessed the influence of regularly repeated exercise on the immune response and systemic inflammation compared to the effects of acute exercise. Additionally, ambient and environmental conditions may modify the systemic inflammatory response and infection susceptibility, particularly in outdoor athletes. Both acute and chronic regular exercise influence humoral and cellular immune response mechanisms, resulting in decreased specific and non-specific response in competitive athletes. The most promising areas of further research in exercise immunology include detailed immunological characterization of infection-prone and infection-resistant athletes, examining the efficacy of nutritional and pharmaceutical interventions as countermeasures to infection symptoms, and determining the influence of various exercise loads on susceptibility to infections with respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. By establishing a uniform definition of an “elite athlete,” it will be possible to make a comparable and straightforward interpretation of data from different studies and settings.
(Less)
- author
- Kurowski, Marcin ; Seys, Sven ; Bonini, Matteo ; Del Giacco, Stefano ; Delgado, Luis ; Diamant, Zuzana LU ; Kowalski, Marek L. ; Moreira, André ; Rukhadze, Maia and Couto, Mariana
- organization
- publishing date
- 2022
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- clinical immunology, infections, mucosal immunity, sports
- in
- Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
- volume
- 77
- issue
- 9
- pages
- 2653 - 2664
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85129612634
- pmid:35485959
- ISSN
- 0105-4538
- DOI
- 10.1111/all.15328
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 20eb7716-a7eb-465a-993e-7050b5866ed0
- date added to LUP
- 2022-08-15 13:52:27
- date last changed
- 2024-06-14 21:02:59
@article{20eb7716-a7eb-465a-993e-7050b5866ed0,
abstract = {{<p>This review presents state-of-the-art knowledge and identifies knowledge gaps for future research in the area of exercise-associated modifications of infection susceptibility. Regular moderate-intensity exercise is believed to have beneficial effects on immune health through lowering inflammation intensity and reducing susceptibility to respiratory infections. However, strenuous exercise, as performed by professional athletes, may promote infection: in about half of athletes presenting respiratory symptoms, no causative pathogen can be identified. Acute bouts of exercise enhance the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which may induce infection-like respiratory symptoms. Relatively few studies have assessed the influence of regularly repeated exercise on the immune response and systemic inflammation compared to the effects of acute exercise. Additionally, ambient and environmental conditions may modify the systemic inflammatory response and infection susceptibility, particularly in outdoor athletes. Both acute and chronic regular exercise influence humoral and cellular immune response mechanisms, resulting in decreased specific and non-specific response in competitive athletes. The most promising areas of further research in exercise immunology include detailed immunological characterization of infection-prone and infection-resistant athletes, examining the efficacy of nutritional and pharmaceutical interventions as countermeasures to infection symptoms, and determining the influence of various exercise loads on susceptibility to infections with respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. By establishing a uniform definition of an “elite athlete,” it will be possible to make a comparable and straightforward interpretation of data from different studies and settings.</p>}},
author = {{Kurowski, Marcin and Seys, Sven and Bonini, Matteo and Del Giacco, Stefano and Delgado, Luis and Diamant, Zuzana and Kowalski, Marek L. and Moreira, André and Rukhadze, Maia and Couto, Mariana}},
issn = {{0105-4538}},
keywords = {{clinical immunology; infections; mucosal immunity; sports}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{9}},
pages = {{2653--2664}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology}},
title = {{Physical exercise, immune response, and susceptibility to infections—current knowledge and growing research areas}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/all.15328}},
doi = {{10.1111/all.15328}},
volume = {{77}},
year = {{2022}},
}