OBJECTIVE: We examined whether different intensities of exercise and/or physical activity (PA) levels affected and/or associated with vaccination efficacy. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted and registered with PROSPERO (CRD42021230108). The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library (trials), SportDiscus, and CINAHL databases were searched up to January 2022. RESULTS: In total, 38 eligible studies were included. Chronic exercise increased influenza antibodies (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.49, confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.73, Z 3.95, I2 90%, p < 0.01), which was mainly driven by aerobic exercise (SMD 0.39, CI 0.19 to 0.58, Z 3.96, I2 77%, p < 0.01) as opposed to combined (aerobic plus resistance; p = 0.07) or other exercise types (ie, taiji and qigong, unspecified; p > 0.05). PA levels positively affected antibodies in response to influenza vaccination (SMD 0.18, CI 0.02 to 0.34, Z 2.21, I2 76%, p = 0.03), which was mainly driven by high PA levels compared to moderate PA levels (ChI2 10.35, I2 90.3%, p < 0.01). Physically active individuals developed influenza antibodies in response to vaccination in > 4 weeks (SMD 0.64, CI 0.30 to 0.98, Z 3.72, I2 83%, p < 0.01) as opposed to < 4 weeks (p > 0.05; ChI2 13.40, I2 92.5%, p < 0.01) post vaccination. CONCLUSION: Chronic aerobic exercise or high PA levels increased influenza antibodies in humans more than vaccinated individuals with no participation in exercise/PA. The evidence regarding the effects of exercise/PA levels on antibodies in response to vaccines other than influenza is extremely limited.

Full text (sometimes free) may be available at these link(s):      help

• PubMed Central
• DOI
• PubMed
• PDF locator
• publisher