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Exercise and immunity

Contents of this page:

Illustrations

Yoga
Yoga
Benefit of regular exercise
Benefit of regular exercise
Flexibility exercise
Flexibility exercise
Exercise 30 minutes a day
Exercise 30 minutes a day

Information    Return to top

Suffering from yet another cold? Feeling fatigued all the time? The answer may be as easy as taking a daily walk or following a simple exercise routine a few times a week. Exercise not only helps your immune system fight off simple bacterial and viral infections, but it may actually decrease the incidence of illnesses such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.

How does exercise cause a boost in your immune system? There are several theories.

While all this is good news for those who already exercise, do not "overdo" physical activity. People who already exercise regularly are cautioned not to develop too vigorous a workout program in the hopes of increasing the immunity benefits. Heavy, long-term exercise (such as marathon running and intense gym training) could actually decrease the amount of white blood cells circulating through the body and increase the presence of stress-related hormones.

Studies have shown that the people who benefit most from starting (and sticking to) an exercise program are those who go from a sedentary ("couch potato") lifestyle to a moderately energetic lifestyle. A moderate program can consist of:

So, while we don't know exactly how and why exercise increases your immunity to certain illnesses, we do know that exercise helps. It decreases our chances of developing heart disease and osteoporosis and may help us avoid those nagging coughs and colds.

Exercise can help us feel better about ourselves, just by making us feel more energetic and healthier. So go ahead, take that aerobics class or go for that walk - and feel better and healthier for it.

References    Return to top

Ivker RS. Chronic Sinusitis. In: Rakel D. Rakel: Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 19.

Barrett B. Viral Upper Respiratory Infection. In: Rakel D. Rakel: Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 20.

Hewitt MJ. Writing an Exercise Prescription. In: Rakel D. Rakel: Integrative Medicine. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 90.

Miller A. Recreational Infections. In: Cohen J, Powderly WG, Berkley SF, Calandra T, Clumeck N, Finch RG. Cohen & Powderly: Infectious Diseases. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby; 2004:chap 89.

Update Date: 5/5/2008

Updated by: Linda Vorvick, MD, Seattle Site Coordinator, Lecturer, Pathophysiology, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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