With cold and flu season starting in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s important to take steps to support a robust immune system. Fortunately for Savers, Fortunately for Savers, one of the most effective ways to strengthen bones also offers a lesser-known benefit: supporting immune function.
In this article, we’ll examine research into the physiological link between exercise and immune health. You’ll learn how regular physical activity can help you avoid illness, allowing you to stay on track with your bone health goals.
Physical Activity And The Immune System
The connection between exercise and your immune system may not feel as obvious as the link between working out and building muscle, but decades of research have uncovered a complex network of interactions linking physical activity and immune function.
A review published in the Journal of Sport and Health Science examined key discoveries in exercise immunology since 1980, helping to explain how physical activity and the immune system interact.1
Decades of research have shown that a single bout of moderate-to-vigorous exercise lasting less than 60 minutes can increase the circulation and redistribution of important immune cells between the bloodstream and tissues throughout the body. The ability of immune cells to reach tissues defines their ability to protect our organs and bodily systems from infection.1
This finding is further supported by studies examining the relationship between exercise and respiratory infections. Randomized clinical trials and epidemiologic studies have generally found an inverse relationship between regular moderate exercise and the risk of upper respiratory tract infections, suggesting that physically active individuals may experience fewer respiratory infections such as the flu or RSV. Studies have even linked regular physical activity with decreased mortality from flu and pneumonia.1
The anti-inflammatory effects of exercise are another mechanism that may explain these positive outcomes. Studies have found that regular physical training has an overall anti-inflammatory effect mediated through multiple pathways. Epidemiologic studies have consistently found decreased levels of inflammatory markers in adults who exercise more– even after adjustment for additional factors such as body mass index.1
Additionally, an increasing number of studies have linked exercise and physical fitness with a diverse gut microbiota, which researchers suggest could also play a role in supporting robust immune function.1
Findings from several studies also suggest that regular exercise may help delay immunosenescence, the gradual decline and dysregulation of immune function associated with aging. In other words, regular exercise may help preserve a healthier, more responsive immune system as we age.
These findings are of immense value to Savers. Exercise has many direct benefits for bone health, but the ability of regular workouts to bolster the immune system provides an overarching benefit that helps to avoid illness so you can keep up with your bone-healthy habits and live your life to the fullest.
Ready to Put This Into Action?
Reading about bone health is a great first step, but building stronger bones requires the right type of exercise.
SaveTrainer gives you safe, expert-led workouts designed specifically for osteoporosis and osteopenia, so you can improve strength, balance, and confidence while following a structured plan.
Synopsis
Decades of research have provided compelling evidence of a strong connection between regular exercise and immune function. The positive impact of exercise on inflammation, gut microbiota, the movement of immune cells throughout the body, and immunosenescence (age-related immune dysregulation) supports and helps explain this link.
The Molecules Behind the Exercise-Immune Function Connection
The well-documented relationship between exercise and immune function points to an intricate communication network between skeletal muscle and immune cells. Researchers have discovered molecules that serve as messengers in this exchange.
A report published in 2020 in the journal Frontiers in Physiology highlights the role of two molecules in the crosstalk between skeletal muscle and the immune system: glutamine and interleukin-6.2
The non-essential amino acid glutamine is produced by skeletal muscle and is used by leukocytes (immune cells) such as monocytes and lymphocytes as a source of energy. Research suggests that skeletal muscle plays an important role in maintaining glutamine availability, which helps support the energy and metabolic needs of immune cells.2
The signaling protein interleukin-6 (IL-6) also plays an essential role in this communication system. Both the immune system and skeletal muscle can produce IL-6, but it has different effects depending on which one produces it.
IL-6 can exert both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects, depending on the physiological context and signaling pathways involved. During exercise, skeletal muscle releases IL-6, which can contribute to anti-inflammatory responses.. Studies have found that circulating plasma IL-6 levels increase during and after exercise, contributing to metabolic regulation, anti-inflammatory signaling, and processes involved in muscle recovery. This mechanism allows the immune system to repair muscle fibers torn during exercise without unnecessary inflammation, providing more efficient muscle growth.2
The authors of the report summarize the complex communication between skeletal muscle and the immune system as follows:
“Therefore, the communication between the skeletal muscle and the immune system seems to be very intense, finely tuned, and dependent on many different factors, such as the ones described above. The tight balance among them provides a proper environment not only for the skeletal muscle repair but also to improve immune system function and responsiveness.”2
Synopsis
Glutamine and interleukin-6 are produced by skeletal muscle during physical activity. These molecules allow skeletal muscle to communicate with the immune system by providing fuel for immune cells and facilitating muscle repair without creating unnecessary inflammation.
Exercise Also Regulates Bone Remodeling
These studies help explain how exercise influences the production and activity of molecules involved in communication between skeletal muscle and the immune system, supporting the body’s ability to maintain healthy immune function.
Exercise also generates molecules that influence the bone remodeling process. This muscle-bone crosstalk occurs in addition to the direct stimulation of bone formation caused by the mechanical load that exercise places on bone.
Wolff’s Law describes a fundamental property of bone tissue: its ability to adapt to the mechanical demands placed upon it. . When you do weight-bearing exercise– especially resistance training that increases the load your muscles must overcome to contract– that force signals to your body that you need your bones to be stronger. In response, bone cells activate signaling pathways that help regulate bone remodeling and stimulate bone-building osteoblasts to form new bone tissue.
Synopsis
Similar to the molecular cross-talk between skeletal muscle and the immune system, exercise also triggers communication between muscles and bones. This communication facilitates the creation of new bone tissue and occurs alongside the mechanical stimulation of bone formation triggered by weight-bearing exercise.
What This Means To You
Our daily actions send powerful signals to our bodies. Exercise signals your body to strengthen muscles and bones while supporting immune function and helping you maintain an active, fulfilling life.
The Save Institute created SaveTrainer to make it easier than ever to get the bone-building exercises you need. SaveTrainer is an online exercise video platform with safe, guided on-demand workouts designed specifically for osteoporosis and osteopenia and built around the movements that actually build bone.
Prepare yourself for the cold and flu season by supporting your immune system through regular exercise.
Don’t Just Read About Bone-Building Exercise… Start Doing It.
Follow safe, guided workouts designed specifically for osteoporosis and osteopenia. Build strength, improve balance, and move with confidence using expert-led workout plans you can do from home.
