- A recent study suggests that exercising after receiving a vaccine can increase antibodies.
- Researchers at Iowa State University found that light-to-moderate intensity exercise immediately after a flu or COVID-19 shot can increase protection against infection.
- Study participants produced more antibodies during the next 4 weeks after vaccination and did not report increased side effects from the vaccines.
- These results indicate that exercise after vaccination could be a way to improve the antibody response to a vaccine among people who can exercise for at least 45 minutes.
A new study suggests that a 90-minute exercise session can stimulate the immune response in people who have just received a flu or COVID-19 vaccine.
In human and animal studies, a single bout of mildly or moderately vigorous activity after a flu or COVID-19 vaccine increased antibodies for up to 4 weeks.
Also, exercise does not seem to increase the side effects of an injection.
Marian Kohut, Ph.D., a professor of kinesiology at Iowa State University’s Navovaccine Institute, led a team of researchers to explore this effect. Postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students contributed to the work.
She and her co-authors published their findings in the journal Brain, behavior and immunity.
In an exclusive interview with Today’s medical newsDr. Kohut and postdoctoral researcher Tyanez Jones, Ph.D., shared:
“To the best of our knowledge, our findings are the first of their kind to assess the response to exercise in the COVID-19 vaccine. [They are] the first to show that light [to moderate] Intense and long-lasting exercise enhances the antibody response to the COVID-19 vaccine.”
Various studies have established that people who exercise before receiving a vaccine have a greater antibody response.
One hypothesis for this is that exercise creates acute stressthat triggers an inflammatory response.
This response can stimulate the production of interferons and antibodiesproteins that fight foreign particles in microbes such as viruses.
Another possible reason is that exercise stimulates the blood and lymph flow, which promotes the circulation of immune cells.
The team studied how 90 minutes of cycling, walking outdoors or jogging affected the antibody response.
They based this time period on previous research that suggested this amount of exercise increases interferon and antibody production.
They looked at people who received one of three different vaccines: COVID-19, 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza, and seasonal influenza.
the control the participants exercised within 30 minutes of receiving a flu shot or the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
They developed more antibodies compared to participants who were sedentary or did not change their daily activities after the injections. An experiment with mice and treadmills produced similar results.
dig deeper
Kohut said much more research is needed to determine why and how exercise improves the immune response. It is likely due to an interaction of metabolic, circulatory, and biochemical factors.
Additionally, the study co-authors are tracking antibody activity in the participants 6 months after the vaccinations. They have launched another study to see how exercise affects people getting booster shots.
MNT asked Dr. Kohut and Dr. Jones if 90 minutes of exercise is a reasonable goal for most people. They replied:
“[I]The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that adults accumulate at least 30–60 [minutes] of moderate exercise [per] day and 20-60 min of vigorous exercise.
“We would say that 90 minutes of exercise is neither unrealistic nor unreasonable for people who exercise regularly and can safely complete exercise during that time period. The benefit of a higher antibody response after the COVID-19 vaccine or influenza vaccine may be greater than the alternative.”
– Dr. Kohut and Dr. Jones
The researchers noted that setting aside 90 minutes for exercise after vaccination can be challenging for some people.
During the study, a shorter workout of 45 minutes after the COVID-19 vaccine did not result in an increase in antibodies. The research team may test the effectiveness of 60 minutes in a follow-up study.
However, Dr. Kohut and her team believe that post-vaccine exercise could help people with different fitness levels. Almost half of the study participants were overweight or obese. Additionally, the amount of distance covered in the 90-minute exercise slot ranged from 4 to 10 miles for people who walked or jogged, suggesting a wide range of fitness levels.
MNT also discussed the current study with Dr Amesh Adalja, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. He agreed that this research supports the positive potential of exercise on the immune system.
However, Dr. Adalja commented, “Whether or not this makes a clinically significant difference in the efficacy of the vaccine, or is feasible for most people, is a separate question.”
MNT wondered if the findings of this study could be applied to encourage people to get vaccinated against the flu or COVID-19. Dr. Kohut and Dr. Jones stated:
“The effort required to understand the complexity of vaccine hesitancy is great and imperative to increase vaccination rates […] The knowledge that one can enhance the immune response to vaccination with exercise can provide a sense of power or control over how the immune system responds to vaccination.”
However, they were careful not to suggest that the study might reduce vaccine hesitancy. They fear that such a statement “would minimize the seriousness of this problem.”
The researchers highlighted:
“[E]Exercise alone is not a sufficient substitute for immunization, as exercise alone does not produce “immune memory” against a virus. Exposure to viral components (as in vaccines or infections) is required to induce immunological memory.”
– Dr. Kohut and Dr. Jones
