107/365 Prevent Illness with Exercise

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

It seems that there's a cold going around. This is often the case with the change of seasons. Exercise can play a role in preventing sickness, contracting sickness, and getting over sickness.

If you were to graph level of exercise intensity against risk of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI), you would get a j-curve. People who are sedentary have a moderate risk for infection, moderate intensity exercisers are the least likely, and vigorous exercisers have the greatest risk. The reason could be from the stress of exercise. When sedentary individuals begin exercising, the stress that occurs naturally from exercise decreases immunity. Vigorous exercises experience the same thing in that their bodies are constantly stressed which makes them more susceptible.

Another explanation was discovered by looking at saliva. Several studies deduced that secretory antibodies (Sal-IgA) in our saliva help "provide defense against infections through immune exclusion at mucosal surfaces, intra-epithelial viral naturalization and immune elimination across mucosal surfaces. (Gleeson, Maree, Robin Callister, and David B. Pyne)" Sal-Iga are secreted more by individuals who exercise chronically at a moderate level while vigorous exercise results in a decrease.

It is important though to note that you should exercise very lightly or not at all when you are actually sick. You are more likely to relapse and/or get someone else sick. When you are coming out of your cold you should also take it easy. Like we discussed, exercise is a stress on your body, one that you may not be able to handle if you're not back to 100%.

So eat your vegetables, wash your hands, and keep exercising to prevent yourself from illness.

In health,

Lauren

Gleeson, Maree, Robin Callister, and David B. Pyne. "Exercise effects on mucosal immunity and risk of upper respiratory illness." International SportMed Journal 4.3 (2003): 1-14. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.

 Nieman, D C. "Exercise, infection, and immunity." International Journal Of Sports Medicine 15 Suppl 3.(1994): S131-S141. MEDLINE. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.

Weidner, TG, and TL Sevier. "Sport, exercise, and the common cold." Journal of Athletic Training 31.2 (1996): 154-159. CINAHL Plus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 4 Nov. 2010.