The health benefits of physical activity are already widely known: conditioning, muscle strength, sleep quality, cholesterol and triglyceride reduction, in addition to being good for mental health.
A study carried out by researchers at the University of São Paulo (USP) revealed that regular physical exercise is also associated with an increase in the immune response to the Covid-19 vaccine, which tends to decrease over time.
The research included the participation of 748 patients from the Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine of USP. The analysis investigated the association between physical activity and the persistent presence of specific antibodies against the new coronavirus in the body.
Data were evaluated over a period of six months after the two-dose regimen of Coronavac vaccine, in patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, systemic sclerosis, and inflammatory myopathies. The results were published in preprint format, yet without peer review.
“Physical activity not only seems to mount a more robust antibody response to the vaccine, it also seems to increase the durability of the protective effect of the immunizing agent. If this is confirmed, we would have a cheap and potentially capable tool to reduce the low vaccine response of risk groups, such as people with a dysfunctional immune system”, said Bruno Gualano, professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine at USP and a specialist in exercise physiology, in a statement.
formation of immunity
The formation of immunity from vaccines is a complex phenomenon that is subject to a series of variables, such as the profile of the vaccinated population, including age and genetic issues, in addition to the variants of the new coronavirus in circulation.
Understanding how long the protection offered by vaccines lasts is a challenge for scientists around the world. Studies have shown that vaccine-induced antibodies to Covid-19 decrease over time.
However, the immune system response goes beyond the action of antibodies. When vaccines are inoculated into the body, they also play an essential role in activating other defense cells in the body, called T lymphocytes.
The cellular response generated by immunizers also involves immune system memory cells that remain in the body. Thus, when the individual comes into contact with the new coronavirus through a natural infection, they activate the production of antibodies that respond against the infection, mainly preventing severe cases, hospitalizations and deaths from the disease.
How the analyzes were performed
To assess the vaccine’s ability to provoke a long-term immune response, the USP researchers performed serological tests to verify the levels of IgG antibodies and the presence of neutralizing antibodies – both indicators are associated with the response to the vaccine.
The criterion used to define patients as physically active or inactive was the World Health Organization (WHO) parameter, which says that a person is active when they perform some moderate or vigorous physical activity for at least 150 minutes a week.
Of the 748 patients analyzed (421 active and 327 inactive), the positivity rates for IgG and neutralizing antibodies were significantly higher for active individuals than for inactive individuals.
“For every 10 inactive patients who presented seropositivity, 15 active ones had the same result”, said Gualano. According to the research, physical activity in addition to preventing chronic diseases and severe cases of Covid-19, is associated with a benefit in the body’s response to vaccines.
(With information from Jornal da USP)
Reference: CNN Brasil
