Endurance exercise ‘Trains’ the Immune System, Boosting Resilience in Older Adults
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A new study reveals that lifelong endurance training enhances immune function, making older adults less susceptible to inflammation and illness.
Regular physical activity is widely known to improve physical health,but emerging research demonstrates a profound impact on the immune system,particularly as we age. A groundbreaking study published in Scientific Reports reveals that older adults with a history of consistent endurance exercise – including long-distance running, cycling, swimming, rowing, and walking – exhibit considerably more adaptable and resilient immune cells. This research, funded by FAPESP, suggests that exercise doesn’t just benefit muscles and cardiovascular health; it also “trains” the immune system to respond more effectively.
, we found that obesity and a sedentary lifestyle can trigger a process of premature aging of defense cells,” explained a senior researcher. “This led us to investigate whether an older adult who has been practicing endurance exercises for more than 20 years might have a better-prepared immune system. And that’s indeed what we found.”
Enhanced Immune function with Age
The findings showed that NK cells in the trained older adults were more adaptable, less prone to inflammation, and utilized energy more efficiently. This translates to a more robust and effective immune response.Researchers discovered that these individuals had fewer inflammatory markers and more anti-inflammatory markers compared to their non-athletic counterparts, indicating superior control over inflammation.
“physical exercise is one of these factors that can benefit the immune system, and in this research project, we’re investigating how it can modulate the immune response over time,” noted a project coordinator at São Paulo State University (UNESP) in Brazil.
Cellular Adaptations to Exercise
To understand how exercise impacts immune function, the team examined how NK cells functioned and metabolized energy in response to inflammation. They exposed cells from both trained and untrained individuals to pharmacological agents – propranolol and rapamycin – to observe their effects. Propranolol blocks the adrenergic pathway, a network of neural and hormonal signals, while rapamycin inhibits cell growth and replication.
Even when these signaling pathways were blocked, the NK cells of the trained older adults maintained their immune function, while those of the untrained individuals showed signs of exhaustion. This suggests that long-term endurance training fosters protective “immunometabolic” adaptations in NK cells, making them more mature, effective, and resilient.
younger vs.Experienced athletes: A Tale of Inflammation
Further research compared the immune responses of young and “master” athletes (over 50 with more than 20 years of continuous training). The results revealed a striking difference in how each group responded to an inflammatory challenge. When blood cells were stimulated with a pathogen, both groups produced IL-6, a cytokine signaling inflammation. However, the increase was significantly more pronounced in the younger athletes. Another inflammatory cytokine, TNF-α, was only increased in the younger group.
“The young athletes showed a more intense inflammatory response, while the older athletes showed a more regulated and controlled profile,” a researcher explained. “This suggests that lifelong training can promote beneficial, balanced immune adaptation.”
The ‘Training’ Effect on the Immune System
The researchers concluded that regular exercise essentially “trains” the immune system to respond more effectively to inflammatory episodes. “Because they train regularly, their bodies are accustomed to dealing with inflammatory episodes, which requires more intense stimuli to generate notable long-term inflammatory responses,” the researcher stated. “It’s this type of ‘training’ that, over time, adapts the immune system, making it stronger.”
This research underscores the importance of physical activity not just for physical well-being, but also for maintaining a robust immune system throughout life. The findings suggest that decades of physical activity can definitely help regulate inflammation, potentially mitigating the risk of chronic diseases associated with aging and disordered inflammatory responses.
