How Exercise Could Make Your COVID Vaccine More Effective

Exercise has many health benefits besides staying in shape, and one of the main benefits is that it boosts your immune system.And after all, according to new information studyregular exercise may make the COVID-19 vaccine more effective.

Researchers surveyed 200,000 men and women in South Africa and collected data on vaccinations, COVID outcomes, and exercise habits. They found that COVID vaccination was effective in protecting against serious infections.

How Exercise Helps COVID Vaccine Effectiveness

As shown in this study, people who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine (Ad26.COV2.S) and engaged in high levels of exercise were vaccinated but received low levels. They were almost one-third more likely to be hospitalized with COVID than those without. exercise, Dr. William LeeInternationally Distinguished Physician, Researcher, President/Founder of the Angiogenesis Foundation and Author eat to fight disease,I will explain. This study is unique in that it examined a hard endpoint of hospitalization and also recorded exercise with a wearable.

Researchers have long known that exercise can activate the immune response to vaccines by stimulating the immune system and creating more protective antibodies in the blood. It activates T cells and improves the immune defense layer lining the nasal passages, where respiratory viruses enter the body, says Dr. Li.

Regular exercise also promotes a good night’s sleep, and sleep quality is also important for the immune response.

An extra point: People who exercise for a long time, especially those who exercise at a high intensity, are more likely to take care of their overall health, including making healthier diet and lifestyle choices. , especially eating whole plant-based foods such as blueberries, tree nuts, and omega-3-rich seafood have been shown to boost immunity, Dr. Li adds.

“There is limited data on the impact of exercise on COVID vaccine efficacy,” it says. Dr. F. Perry Wilson, MD, Yale of Medicine. “However, we do know that exercise itself appears to be very protective against the negative consequences of COVID. is significantly less likely.”

The BMJ study provides the best data to suggest that exercise has a direct impact on the immune response to vaccination, showing that the more active the person, the more effective the vaccine.

This is a really subtle but important point. It’s no surprise that a sedentary person had worse results with his COVID. This has been shown in multiple previous studies. But the vaccine should work in that group as well, Dr. Wilson adds. In fact, hospitalization rates have decreased by about 60%.But the amazing thing is that it works Better The more active group — the group that, overall, is less likely to be hospitalized.

Exercise is a complex physiological state. Increases heart rate, dilates certain blood vessels (constricts others), increases levels of certain hormones (decreases others), and there are many ways exercise affects the immune system. . Dr. Wilson explains. But it’s no surprise that the overall effect is good. Exercise is one of the best things he can do for his body, and it seems to be pretty good for his immune system, too.

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“There are likely many reasons why exercise makes COVID vaccination more effective,” he says. Justin Elbayer, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, NYU Langone Huntington Medical Group. “According to this study, physical activity has been shown to affect many levels, including the organelle level, allowing individuals to increase antibody levels and improve T-cell immune surveillance and psychosocial factors. This is because exercise encourages the body to prime a stronger immune response, making vaccination more effective.”

The dangers of a sedentary lifestyle

The study also showed that the vaccinated group who exercised for at least one hour each week was 1.4 times less likely to be hospitalized compared to sedentary and vaccinated participants. The vaccine was about 12% more effective in those who exercised compared to those who did not.

“Sedentary lifestyles are associated with lower overall health defenses, including immunity, which is one explanation for the lower efficacy of vaccination to prevent hospitalization,” said Li. says Dr. “People with sedentary lifestyles often make poor dietary choices, which can affect the gut microbiota, increase inflammation, and reduce immune responses. Even a little exercise.” can counteract these effects.”

Even brief periods of exercise can alter blood chemicals (hormones, cytokines, chemokines) and alter glucose metabolism, among other effects, says Dr. Wilson. It’s still unclear how these attacks interact with the immune system, but something seems to happen during exercise that boosts the production of immune molecules such as antibodies.

“One of the most important effects of exercise is that it improves the way our bodies deal with injury and illness,” says Dr. Elbayer. “The reasons why vaccines are more effective in those who exercise are likely multifactorial. Stronger immune responses to vaccines play a large role.”

How much exercise you need per week to get results

A BMJ study showed that there is a dose response in the effectiveness of the COVID vaccine to prevent hospitalization. Those who had the most effect exercised for at least 150 minutes a week at levels that raised their heart rate to 70 to 80 percent of her maximum, Dr. Li explains.

However, even moderate exercise, defined as 60 to 149 minutes per week, was beneficial in lowering the risk of hospitalization.

In short, when it comes to benefiting from the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine in this study, exercise is more effective than no exercise, and the more people exercise, the better. I received a lot of protection. This shows that there are steps people can take to make other vaccines more effective, he added Dr. Li.

“The BMJ study suggests that there is a dose-response relationship here, meaning that even minimal exercise may have some benefit, and more exercise may have more benefit. Dr. Wilson says, “My advice after reading this study is something I always tell my patients: Do whatever you can. Please try again.”

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