Exercise and Respiratory Tract Viral Infections

Overview

Journal Exerc Sport Sci Rev

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2009 Dec 4

PMID 19955864

Citations 91

Authors

Stephen A Martin

Brandt D Pence

Jeffrey A Woods

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Prolonged intense exercise causes immunosuppression, whereas moderate-intensity exercise improves immune function and potentially reduces risk and severity of respiratory viral infections. Here, based on available evidence, we present a model whereby moderate exercise-induced increases in stress hormones reduce excessive local inflammation and skew the immune response away from a TH1 and toward a TH2 phenotype, thus improving outcomes after respiratory viral infections.

Citing Articles

The Potential of Superoxide Dismutase-Rich as a Promoter of Cellular Health.

Cocksedge S, Mantecon L, Castano E, Infante C, Bailey S Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(4).

PMID: 40004157 PMC: 11855123. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26041693.

Pathogen delivery route impacts disease severity in experimental Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae infection of domestic lambs.

Jacobson B, DeWit-Dibbert J, Zanca L, Sonar S, Hardy C, Throolin M Vet Res. 2025; 56(1):10.

PMID: 39806398 PMC: 11731165. DOI: 10.1186/s13567-024-01439-y.

Is Micronutrient Supplementation Helpful in Supporting the Immune System during Prolonged, High-Intensity Physical Training?.

Felice F, Moschini R, Cappiello M, Sardelli G, Mosca R, Piazza L Nutrients. 2024; 16(17).

PMID: 39275323 PMC: 11397090. DOI: 10.3390/nu16173008.

Myocarditis in Athletes: Risk Factors and Relationship with Strenuous Exercise.

Terry K, Narducci D, Moran B, Chang P, Orlando D, Bindas B Sports Med. 2023; 54(3):607-621.

PMID: 38079080 DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01969-z.

Role of Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Influenza: A Review.

You M Sports Med Open. 2023; 9(1):115.

PMID: 38042758 PMC: 10693535. DOI: 10.1186/s40798-023-00660-x.

References

Matthews C, Ockene I, Freedson P, Rosal M, Merriam P, Hebert J . Moderate to vigorous physical activity and risk of upper-respiratory tract infection. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2002; 34(8):1242-8. DOI: 10.1097/00005768-200208000-00003. View

Bot A, Holz A, Christen U, Wolfe T, Temann A, Flavell R . Local IL-4 expression in the lung reduces pulmonary influenza-virus-specific secondary cytotoxic T cell responses. Virology. 2000; 269(1):66-77. DOI: 10.1006/viro.2000.0187. View

Dhabhar F . Stress-induced augmentation of immune function--the role of stress hormones, leukocyte trafficking, and cytokines. Brain Behav Immun. 2002; 16(6):785-98. DOI: 10.1016/s0889-1591(02)00036-3. View

Murphy E, Davis J, Brown A, Carmichael M, van Rooijen N, Ghaffar A . Role of lung macrophages on susceptibility to respiratory infection following short-term moderate exercise training. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 2004; 287(6):R1354-8. DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00274.2004. View

Vu T, Farish S, Jenkins M, Kelly H . A meta-analysis of effectiveness of influenza vaccine in persons aged 65 years and over living in the community. Vaccine. 2002; 20(13-14):1831-6. DOI: 10.1016/s0264-410x(02)00041-5. View

Graham M, Braciale V, Braciale T . Influenza virus-specific CD4+ T helper type 2 T lymphocytes do not promote recovery from experimental virus infection. J Exp Med. 1994; 180(4):1273-82. PMC: 2191682. DOI: 10.1084/jem.180.4.1273. View

Kohut M, Boehm G, Moynihan J . Prolonged exercise suppresses antigen-specific cytokine response to upper respiratory infection. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2001; 90(2):678-84. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.2001.90.2.678. View

Pedersen B, Febbraio M . Muscle as an endocrine organ: focus on muscle-derived interleukin-6. Physiol Rev. 2008; 88(4):1379-406. DOI: 10.1152/physrev.90100.2007. View

Davis J, Murphy E, Brown A, Carmichael M, Ghaffar A, Mayer E . Effects of oat beta-glucan on innate immunity and infection after exercise stress. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004; 36(8):1321-7. DOI: 10.1249/01.mss.0000135790.68893.6d. View

10.

Dantzer R, OConnor J, Freund G, Johnson R, Kelley K . From inflammation to sickness and depression: when the immune system subjugates the brain. Nat Rev Neurosci. 2007; 9(1):46-56. PMC: 2919277. DOI: 10.1038/nrn2297. View

11.

Brown A, Davis J, Murphy E, Carmichael M, Ghaffar A, Mayer E . Gender differences in viral infection after repeated exercise stress. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2004; 36(8):1290-5. DOI: 10.1249/01.mss.0000135798.72735.b3. View

12.

Murphy E, Davis J, Carmichael M, Gangemi J, Ghaffar A, Mayer E . Exercise stress increases susceptibility to influenza infection. Brain Behav Immun. 2008; 22(8):1152-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2008.06.004. View

13.

Suzuki K, Nakaji S, Yamada M, Totsuka M, Sato K, Sugawara K . Systemic inflammatory response to exhaustive exercise. Cytokine kinetics. Exerc Immunol Rev. 2003; 8:6-48. View

14.

Van Reeth K . Cytokines in the pathogenesis of influenza. Vet Microbiol. 2000; 74(1-2):109-16. DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1135(00)00171-1. View

15.

Fiore A, Shay D, Broder K, Iskander J, Uyeki T, Mootrey G . Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2008. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2008; 57(RR-7):1-60. View

16.

Moran T, Isobe H, Fernandez-Sesma A, SCHULMAN J . Interleukin-4 causes delayed virus clearance in influenza virus-infected mice. J Virol. 1996; 70(8):5230-5. PMC: 190479. DOI: 10.1128/JVI.70.8.5230-5235.1996. View

17.

Ekblom B, Ekblom O, Malm C . Infectious episodes before and after a marathon race. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2006; 16(4):287-93. DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2005.00490.x. View

18.

Shimizu K, Kimura F, Akimoto T, Akama T, Otsuki T, Nishijima T . Effects of exercise, age and gender on salivary secretory immunoglobulin A in elderly individuals. Exerc Immunol Rev. 2008; 13:55-66. View

19.

Chubak J, McTiernan A, Sorensen B, Wener M, Yasui Y, Velasquez M . Moderate-intensity exercise reduces the incidence of colds among postmenopausal women. Am J Med. 2006; 119(11):937-42. DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2006.06.033. View

20.

Davis J, Kohut M, Colbert L, Jackson D, Ghaffar A, Mayer E . Exercise, alveolar macrophage function, and susceptibility to respiratory infection. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1998; 83(5):1461-6. DOI: 10.1152/jappl.1997.83.5.1461. View