If you didn't already know that exercise is good for you, the findings from a new study may persuade you to give it a try to fend off winter colds.
Researchers at Appalachian State University found that individuals who reported exercising at least five days a week spent 43 percent fewer days suffering with a cold than those who exercised no more than once a week. The investigators wrote that each bout of aerobic exercise causes a transient increase in the activity of cells involved in immune system defenses. They noted that the immune system returns to pre-exercise levels within a few hours after a workout but said that each session may improve overall immune defenses against the bugs that cause colds.
The investigators followed 1,002 adults up to age 85 during two 12-week periods in 2008. Results showed that in addition to reducing the number of days spent with colds, the severity and symptoms of the colds that were contracted dropped by 32 to 41 percent among those who exercised most. The study was published online on November 1st in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
Not sure where to start? My Exercise & Fitness library is full of helpful tips and information to get you moving.
No comments:
Post a Comment