We have known for a very long time that moderate exercise is good for us. We know it can increase blood flow to the brain and other organs, which is a good thing. It can help maintain lean muscle mass which helps with so many things like helping control blood sugar, maintain our ability to prevent falls, etc. But what does it do for our immune function, if anything?
Research has shown that moderate exercise has a beneficial effect on our bodies response to inflammation. What we didn’t know was why and how. The researchers at York University, and published in AJP-Cell Physiology, in June of this year, 2023, sheds light on the process. The answer it seems is in the production of macrophages. Yep, macrophages, our immune system first responders whose responsibilities are killing off infections, and being part of the healing process as part of the inflammatory process. Inflammation is good, to a point. We just don’t want runaway, or chronic, inflammation.
So how does exercise help our macrophages and inflammation, you ask? Just like training our muscles, exercise helps increase mitochondrial function in the precursors of the macrophages in our bone marrow. The more mitochondria, the better the function of the macrophages, and the better the function, the faster we heal and stop the inflammatory process. That’s a good thing. The research also showed that the results were long-lasting as well. Something the researchers did not expect to find.
Inflammation is a very important part of a normal immune response. Chronic inflammation that does not complete the process of healing is a big problem. Almost anything bad that can happen to us, heart disease, cancer, and much more, is the result of an incomplete inflammatory response that does not result in healing. All due to macrophages not being able to do their job properly.
Here is a quote from Dr. Ali Abdul-Sater, professor and Chair with the School of Kinesiology and Health Science , York University. “The thing with humans is there’s no intervention that works on everyone. We know that, but what this study suggests is that moderate and persistent exercise not only improves health, but also will improve immune health in the long run.”
Take away is this; moderate and persistent exercise is the key.
