Exercise reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer. It can also fight inflammation.
What is inflammation?
Inflammation is the body’s response to a pathogen. At the time of inflammation, the body tries to eliminate the “aggressor”, preventing the disease from developing, and begins the process of repairing damaged tissues (eg bone fractures). The appearance of such an organism reaction may result from contact with a variety of pathogens: bacteria, viruses, a harmful chemical substance. It can also appear as a result of a tumor or as a result of a mechanical trauma. There are many factors, but a properly functioning immune system always reacts to potential threats.
It can be said that acute inflammation is good for the body, because in this situation it mobilizes strength and fights. Thanks to this, we can deal with both minor infections and more serious illnesses. In turn, the appearance of chronic inflammation is harmful and can lead to the development of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Therefore, it is important to keep the body in balance. Movement can be of great help in this.
Inflammation and movement in the light of research
The fact that movement can heal has been known for a long time. Physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some types of cancer, it also speeds up metabolism and helps maintain a healthy body weight. And this is not the end of its possibilities. Recent research shows that it can fight inflammation as well.
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego (USA) have shown that exercise, by activating the sympathetic system, can also reduce the level of inflammation in the body, and thus prevent the development of celiac disease, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and intestinal diseases (e.g. Crohn’s disease).
The study involved 47 people who exercised on a treadmill for 20 minutes at moderate intensity. Before and after exercise, blood samples were taken from participants to measure the levels of TNF cytokines – proteins with pro-inflammatory properties that affect the multiplication and differentiation of immune cells. “Our study found that one 20-minute session of moderate treadmill exercise reduced the number of TNF-producing cells by 5 percent,” says project coordinator Suzi Hong.
– Knowing the mechanisms by which movement influences the reduction of pro-inflammatory proteins may lead to the development of new therapies that will help people suffering from chronic inflammation – adds the researcher.