In a new study from Iowa State University, researchers found 90 minutes of mild- to moderate-intensity exercise directly after a flu or COVID-19 vaccine may provide an extra immune boost.
They found participants who cycled on a stationary bike or took a brisk walk for an hour-and-a-half after getting a jab produced more antibodies in the following four weeks compared to participants who sat or continued with their daily routine post-immunization.
Antibodies are essentially the body’s “search and destroy” line of defense against viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.
Vaccines help the immune system learn how to identify something foreign and respond by bolstering the body’s defenses, including an increase in antibodies.
In the study, the team also tested whether participants could get the same bump in antibodies with just 45-minutes of exercising.
They found the shorter workout did not increase the participants’ antibody levels. Kohut said the research team may test whether 60 minutes is enough to generate a response in a follow-up study.
As to why prolonged, mild- to moderate-intensity exercise could improve the body’s immune response, the team said there may be multiple reasons.
Working out increases blood and lymph flow, which helps circulate immune cells. As these cells move around the body, they’re more likely to detect something that’s foreign.
Data from the mouse experiment also suggested a type of protein (i.e., interferon alpha) produced during exercise helps generate virus-specific antibodies and T-cells.
The researchers said the study’s findings could directly benefit people with a range of fitness levels. Nearly half of the participants in the experiment had a BMI in the overweight or obese category.
During 90 minutes of exercise, they focused on maintaining a pace that kept their heart rate around 120–140 beats per minute rather than distance.
The researchers are continuing to track the antibody response in the participants six months post-immunization and have launched another study that focuses on exercise’s effects on people who receive booster shots.
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The study is published in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity and was conducted by Kinesiology Professor Marian Kohut et al.
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