Exercise Boosting Immunity?

https://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/f/flu_seasons.asp

In my previous post "Exercise = Happiness," a point was brought up to look into the facts of how exercise affects your immune system. The New York Times article tells of an experiment done with mice and the correlation between exercise and the influenza virus. The experiment had a group of mice running on a treadmill until they were exhausted while another group sat in their cages for three days. The mice were exposed to the influenza virusbeforehand, which after the exercise, resulted in more of the mice who had exercised catching the virus over the sedentary mice, also showing more severe symptoms.

"'The bulk of some new research reinforce a theory that physiologists advanced some years ago, about what they call “a J-shaped curve” involving exercise and immunity. In this model, the risk both of catching a cold or the flu and of having a particularly severe form of the infection 'drop if you exercise moderately,' says Mary P. Miles, PhD, an associate professor of exercise sciences at Montana State University" (Reynolds). It has been found that it is right after an intense workout, your body is less immune to a cold or flu virus. "'The longer the duration and the more intense' the exercise, 'the longer the temporary period of immunosuppression lasts — anything from a few hours to a few days has been suggested" (Reynolds). Immunosuppresion can be defined as the weakening of the immune system. A study was collected looking at a group of soccer players' saliva immunoglobulins, substances that help to fight off infection, before and after an intense 70 minute match. It was discovered that before the workout, the players had normal levels and afterward the players' levels dropped dramatically. 

Scientists have found that once you've caught a bug, intense exercise can only make symptoms and severity worse. They recommend relaxing and letting your body heal before partaking in vigorous exercise activity. Scientists discuss that exercising during a simple head cold or congestion may actual make you feel better, but it's the prolonged, intense workouts that should be avoided. 

Source(s):

Reynolds, Gretchen. "Phys Ed: Does Exercise Boost Immunity?" Well Phys Ed Does Exercise Boost

         Immunity Comments. New York Times, 14 Oct. 2009. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.

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Stacie Kussro