According to a new study by Iowa State University, getting 90 minutes of mild to moderate physical exercise shortly after being administered an influenza vaccine may boost antibodies.
The study had been released in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
“Here, in separate experiments, we examined the effect of 90-minute light- to moderate-intensity cycle ergometer or outdoor walk/jog aerobic exercise performed once after immunization on serum antibody response to three different vaccines (2009 pandemic influenza H1N1, seasonal influenza, and COVID-19),” the study says.
The study involved a mouse model of influenza A immunization and the effect that exercise had on antibody response. Researchers also examined the role of IFNα.
“The results show that 90 min of exercise consistently increased serum antibody to each vaccine four weeks post-immunization, and IFNα may partially contribute to the exercise-related benefit,” researchers determined.
The study’s findings point to potential beneficiary effects of increasing antibody response to influenza by exercising regularly at a light-to-moderate intensity level.
“To the best of our knowledge, these findings are the first to show that light- to moderate-intensity long-duration exercise enhances antibody response across several vaccine formulations.”
