title: Special feature for the Olympics: effects of exercise on the immune system: exercise and cytokines.
abstract: Strenuous exercise induces increased levels in a number of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, naturally occurring cytokine inhibitors and chemokines. Thus, increased plasma levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6, IL-1 receptor antagonist, TNF receptors, IL-10, IL-8 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 are found after strenuous exercise. The concentration of IL-6 increases up to 100-fold after a marathon race. The increase in IL-6 is tightly related to the duration of the exercise and there appears to be a logarithmic relationship. Furthermore, the increase in IL-6 is related to the intensity of exercise. Given the facts that IL-6, more than any other cytokine, is produced in large amounts in response to exercise, that IL-6 is produced locally in the skeletal muscle in response to exercise and that IL-6 is known to have growth factor abilities, it is likely that IL-6 plays a beneficial role and may be involved in mediating exercise-related metabolic changes.
authors.affiliation: The Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark. bkp@rh.dk
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Pedersen
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D051381:Rats; D013177:Sports; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6