Exercise and Immune Function

Question 1

What did the early research into exercise and immune function by Peters & Bateman (1983) find?

Answer 1

People who took less time to finish ultra marathons self reported more symptoms of illness

Question 2

What does the J shape curve proposed by Nieman 1994 suggest about the relationship between exercise and upper respiratory tract infection risk?

Answer 2

Low activity, average risk.
Moderate activity, low risk
High activity, high risk

Question 3

What does the S shape curve proposed by Malm 2006 suggest about the relationship between exercise and URTI?

Answer 3

Same as J shaped but at elite levels of activity the risk goes down slightly

Question 4

What are the potential reasons that could result in increased infection risk at high activity levels?

Answer 4

• Exercise results in greater risk of infection due to increased crowd exposure, lung ventilation, skin abrasions, and foreign travel
• Sleep disruption crossing time zones for races
• Hypoxia and radiation on plane travel

Question 5

How can URTIs be assessed?

Answer 5

Diary/Recall Questionnaires over time
Jackson Score Questionnaire
Objective measurements (Swab of nose or throat and DNA sequencing/protein identification)

Question 6

What are the two branches of immunity?

Answer 6

Innate and Adaptive Immunity

Question 7

Which branch of immunity is quicker acting and non-specific?

Answer 7

Innate

Question 8

What are the different kinds of barriers in the innate immune system?

Answer 8

• Physical (skin)
• Chemical (pH of stomach)
• Inflammatory
• Phagocytic

Question 9

What are the four characteristic attributes of the adaptive immune system?

Answer 9

• Antigenic specificity
• Diversity
• Immunological memory
• Self/non self recognition

Question 10

What are the two major types of cytotoxic cells?

Answer 10

Natural killer cells (innate)

Cytotoxic T cells (adaptive)

Question 11

What do cytotoxic cells do?

Answer 11

punch holes in the membranes of cells using perforin

Question 12

What are the different antibodies/immunoglobulins?

Answer 12

IgA - line mucosal surfaces (sIgA)
IgD - cell signalling
IgE - allergic response
IgM - short lived immune
IgG - Long term immune

Question 13

What is lymphocytosis?

Answer 13

Specific cells are selectively mobilised during exercise

Question 14

What is lymphocytopenia?

Answer 14

Specific cells preferentially leave the circulation after exercise

Question 15

What is the delayed type hypersensitivity reaction?

Answer 15

Testing response of antigen on skin

Question 16

What is the Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR)?

Answer 16

Pathway necessary for DNA replication, cell cytotoxicity, cytokine secretion, adhesion molcule regulation

Question 17

What effect does carbohydrate supplementation have on immune function?

Answer 17

Increases it, to a point

Question 18

What can Nutritionists advise to reduce the incidence of URTI?

Answer 18

• Carb Supplementation:
• Leucine
• Glutamine