Physical activity and the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severe illness.
Is the restriction on community sport in SEQ getting you down?
Can’t find the motivation to keep training when sporting events get cancelled or postponed because of lockdowns? Or are you just out of routine since the last snap lockdown? Did you know, regular aerobic exercise and strength training may substantially lower your risk of Sars-CoV-2 infection and severe COVID-19 illness.
Research recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined data collected from 212,768 Korean adults over the age of 20 who were tested for SARS-CovV-2 between 1st January 2020 to 30th May 2020. Korean adults that followed the national exercise guidelines were associated with a decreased likelihood of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe COVID-19 illness and COVID-19 related death. Regular exercise demonstrates potential benefits to combat COVID-19.
This may be the first-time researchers have been able to measure beneficial effects of exercise on immune system function in defence of a virus. It is already known that exercise is beneficial for our mental health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases. But now we can see an association between regular exercise and reduced risk of contracting a virus.
Regular exercise has the following beneficial effects on the immune system.
(1) enhanced immunosurveillance with increased immune defence activity and metabolic health.
(2) reduced systemic inflammation and an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant state.
(3) improved regulation of the immune system and delayed onset of age-associated decline in the immune system.
(4) inhibits lung inflammation and bacterial colonisation in respiratory infectious disease involving IL-10/nuclear factor-κB.35.
(5) induces expression of ACE2 in skeletal muscle that leads to reduced circulating ACE2 that may have protective effect in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and severity of COVID-19.
These days, with so much change from day to day and week to week it can be hard to stay motivated to exercise and even harder to keep your good exercise habits and routines.
The graph below shows the rapid reduction in physical activity in US states during regional lockdowns and the slow resumption back to baseline physical activity after regional lockdowns are lifted. The researchers used daily step count data collected from mobile phone app users worldwide as an indicator of physical activity.
In Australia there was a 15% step count decrease 19 days after the Pandemic was declared here.
Remember, doing even a little exercise is better than none. The minimum recommended is 3.75 hours per week for Australian adults. That’s about 30 minutes each day.
You can find the Australian Department of Health physical activity and exercise guidelines here; Physical activity and exercise guidelines for all Australians | Australian Government Department of Health
We already knew that exercise is good for us. Now, it’s more important than ever. Healthy movement and nutritious food will strengthen your immune system in these new challenging times. So don’t let lockdowns get you down. Exercise like your life depends on it!
Alistair.