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Ageing, exercise and the chemistry of inflammation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2015

SC Allen
SC Allen*
Affiliation:
The Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Centre for Postgraduate Medical Research and Education, University of Bournemouth, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Professor SC Allen, The Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Castle Lane East, Bournemouth, Dorset BH7 7DW, UK. Email: Stephen.allen@rbch.nhs.uk
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Summary

Exercise has a complex influence on the biochemical markers of inflammation that includes suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. The magnitude of this effect is large for prolonged activity at high work rates. People who are able to perform regular mild–moderate exercise have lower baseline pro-inflammatory cytokine levels that appear to be associated with a number of health benefits, including reduced all-cause mortality. These effects extend into old age. Interleukin-6 (IL-6), a pleiotropic myokine released by active muscle cells, appears to play a central role in these observed phenomena, though the mechanisms of action are intricate and incompletely understood. The minimum threshold of the exercise–cytokine dose–response, if any, has not been clearly characterized. Therefore, the potential to influence cytokine activity and reduce age-associated inflammation in very aged or frail people able to perform only very low levels of physical activity is unknown.

Keywords

inflammationexercisecytokineold agehealth status
Type
Review Article
Information
Reviews in Clinical Gerontology , Volume 25 , Issue 2 , May 2015 , pp. 73 - 80
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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