Prolonged, intense physical exercise is challenging for our immune system. In fact, evidence suggests that for a brief amount of time immediately after a workout, our body is more prone to disease. New research examines the best strategies for recovering after intense exercise. Share on Pinterest New research suggests that food high in carbs helps the body to recover after strenuous physical activity. In the long run, physical exercise is extremely beneficial for our health. Scientific evidence strongly suggests that moderate to intense physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and various forms of cancer, and it improves longevity overall. However, immediately following a workout – particularly in the case of athletic, endurance exercise – the body’s immune system is strained. Heavy exercise causes intense physiological stress, which has been linked to a high risk of infections and overall immunodepression. Since nutrition affects almost all aspects of the body’s immune system, research into the effects of nutrients on the body’s ability to recover is highly significant. One such study has recently been published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. The research was led by Dr. Jonathan Peake and Dr. Oliver Neubauer, from the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation at Queensland University of Technology in Australia, and comprises a review of existing studies on exercise and immunity.

The effect of intense exercise on the body’s immune system The analysis confirms the notion that intense exercise causes a brief period of immunodepression during post-exercise recovery, and that repeated episodes of intense physical activity may raise the risk of illness. However, the research also points out that, with the exception of salivary Immunoglobulin A, the exact biological markers signaling this immunodepression have not yet been identified. The research also confirms that exercise can increase and decrease immune blood cell count. Specifically, it increases levels of circulating neutrophil and monocytes, but reduces circulating lymphocytes during recovery. However, as the lead author explains, the studies reviewed did not support the common belief that regular exercise – without sufficient breaks in between to allow the body to return to normal – weakens the immune system. “People often have fewer natural killer white blood cells after a workout, but we now believe they move to other parts of the body, rather than being destroyed,” explains Dr. Peake. “Exercise is a form of stress, and more vigorous exercise creates more physiological stress which causes physiological and biochemical changes in the body,” he adds. “To tackle the potential threats these changes highlight, the immune cells may simply move out of the bloodstream to the lungs [or the gut], for example.” These changes in immune function that suggest the relocation of immune cells have been noticed by assessing isolated cells ex vivo and in the blood. There is some evidence that the same results have been obtained in vitro, but the authors caution that more evidence is needed to verify this.