Exercise and immune function: effect of ageing and nutrition

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Exercise Physiology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Strenuous exercise induces significant immune system alterations, including lymphopenia, neutrophilia, and impaired natural immunity.
• These immune changes following intense physical activity may explain the increased susceptibility to infections.
• The underlying mechanisms are complex, involving neuroendocrine and metabolic factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of strenuous exercise on immune function.
• To examine the potential of nutritional supplementation in mitigating exercise-induced immune impairment.
• To understand the role of carbohydrate loading, glutamine, fish oil, vitamin E, and vitamin C.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of immune parameters such as lymphocyte counts, proliferative responses, and cytokine levels post-exercise.
• Evaluation of nutritional interventions including glutamine, carbohydrate loading, fish oil, vitamin E, and vitamin C supplementation.
• Comparison of immune responses in different age groups (young vs. elderly) and exercise types (eccentric).

Main Results:

• Glutamine supplementation did not prevent post-exercise immune impairment.
• Carbohydrate loading reduced exercise-induced changes in cytokines, lymphocytes, and neutrophils.
• Fish oil or vitamin E supplementation normalized neutrophilia and elastase responses in elderly subjects during eccentric exercise.
• Vitamin C supplementation may reduce infection risk but its direct link to exercise-induced immune changes is unclear.

Conclusions:

• Nutritional supplementation strategies for preventing post-exercise immune impairment are not yet established.
• Carbohydrate loading appears to modulate some key exercise-induced immune responses.
• Further research is needed to clarify the efficacy and mechanisms of various supplements in supporting immune function after strenuous exercise.