In recent posts, we have been pursuing the connection between common comorbidities and COPD. One of the connections that we found was that inflammation seemed to play a role in most of the common comorbidities. This led me to try to discover how we could reduce inflammation. One of the commonly stated treatments was exercise. I set about trying to determine how exercise reduces inflammation. This is what I found.

According to an article in Science Digest, “physical exercise is well recognized as an important strategy for reducing the risk of chronic disease, and recent research has focused on its role in the improvement of the inflammatory profile.  Large population-based cohort studies consistently show an inverse association between markers of systemic inflammation and physical activity or fitness status, and data from several small-scale intervention studies support that exercise training diminishes inflammation. However, data from large, randomized, controlled trials designed to definitively test the effects of exercise training on inflammation are limited, and results are inconclusive.”

I found this information to be a little disheartening as it seems that our big enemy in the aging process is inflammation.  Though on the other hand, we could say well just because we cannot pinpoint the exact reason that exercise may decrease inflammation, we can be encouraged.

The Journal of Applied Physiology states that “regular exercise offers protection against all-cause mortality, primarily by protection against atherosclerosis, Type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, and breast cancer.  In addition, physical training is effective in the treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease, heart failure, Type 2 diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.”

I did not find research that explained the mechanics of the anti-inflammatory effect of exercise though I found many articles that stated that there was an effect but fell short of a straightforward explanation.  For now, I will continue to exercise because being strong helps me to complete my daily activities with much less fatigue and the stretches and exercises that I am doing for bursitis have helped me remain pain-free.  And yes, I did consult with google scholar for the “real research” articles.