Tamara Hew-Butler, associate professor of exercise and sports science and Mariane Fahlman, professor of kinesiology, health and sport studies, wrote an article for The Conversation
The Conversation, 3/20
Should I exercise during the coronavirus pandemic? Experts explain the just right exercise curve
By Tamara Hew-Butler and Mariane Fahlman
Tamara Hew-Butler, associate professor of exercise and sports science, and Mariane Fahlman, professor of kinesiology, health and sport studies, wrote an article offering practical tips on how much people should (and should not) exercise. "Both too much and too little are bad while somewhere in the middle is just right. Scientists commonly refer to this statistical phenomenon as a "J-shaped" curve. Research has shown exercise can influence the body's immune system. Exercise immunity refers to both the systemic (whole body cellular response) and mucosal (mucous lining of the respiratory tract) response to an infectious agent, which follows this J-shaped curve. A large study showed that mild to moderate exercise - performed about three times a week - reduced the risk of dying during the Hong Kong flu outbreak in 1998. The Hong Kong study was performed on 24,656 Chinese adults who died during this outbreak. This study showed that people who did no exercise at all or too much exercise - over five days of exercise per week - were at greatest risk of dying compared with people who exercised moderately. Additionally, studies performed on mice demonstrated that regular exercise performed two to three months prior to an infection reduced illness severity and viral load in obese and non-obese mice."