title: Aging, exercise, training, and the immune system.
abstract: Human immune function undergoes adverse changes with aging, including development of a relative immune deficiency and an immune dysregulated state. The T cells show the largest age-related differences in distribution and function. The antibody production capacity of B cells also shows an age-related decline. Acute bouts of exercise modulate many immune parameters as seen in peripheral blood. With regard to NK cell activity, a single bout of moderate exercise seems to be well tolerated by the elderly, and the resting NK cell activity of elderly subjects seems to increase with training. Cross-sectional comparisons of immune status imply that habitual physical activity may enhance NK cell activity and check certain aspects of the age-related decline in T cell function. Future studies are required to clarify whether such long-term exercise and resulting improvements of immune function give rise to any beneficial effects on infections, malignancies, and autoimmune disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ehime University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shinkai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Konishi
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Shephard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000917:Antibody Formation; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D051381:Rats; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines