The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise: mechanisms and implications for the prevention and treatment of disease

Michael Gleeson*, Nicolette C Bishop, David J Stensel, Martin R Lindley, Sarabjit S Mastana, Myra A Nimmo

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

990 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Regular exercise reduces the risk of chronic metabolic and cardiorespiratory diseases, in part because exercise exerts anti-inflammatory effects. However, these effects are also likely to be responsible for the suppressed immunity that makes elite athletes more susceptible to infections. The anti-inflammatory effects of regular exercise may be mediated via both a reduction in visceral fat mass (with a subsequent decreased release of adipokines) and the induction of an anti-inflammatory environment with each bout of exercise. In this Review, we focus on the known mechanisms by which exercise - both acute and chronic - exerts its anti-inflammatory effects, and we discuss the implications of these effects for the prevention and treatment of disease.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)607-615
Number of pages9
JournalNature Reviews Immunology
Volume11
Issue number9
Early online date5 Aug 2011
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2011

Keywords

  • Adipokines
  • Animals
  • Athletes
  • Cytokines
  • Epinephrine
  • Exercise
  • Humans
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Immune System
  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Lipids
  • Mice
  • Obesity
  • Toll-Like Receptors

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