Acute and Recovery Changes of TNF-α and IL-1β in Response to Aerobic Exercise in Smokers and Non-smokers

Recent evidence has shown that acute exercise modulates the immune response in healthy individuals, although the effect on smokers has not drawn much attention. This study examined acute and post exercise inflammatory responses in smokers and nonsmokers to moderate aerobic exercise. For this purpose, Fifteen recreationally sedentary male smokers and 15 nonsmokers matched for age (35.5 ± 5.8 years) and BMI(31.30 ± 4.5 kg/m2) were familiarized and underwent aerobic exercise testing involved 40 min running on flat surface with no slope at 70(%) of maximal heart rate. Venous blood was obtained pre-exercise (baseline), 0, 60 min and 24 hours for analysis of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) of 2 groups. Experimental data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance with repeated measures in each group. No differences existed between groups for baseline IL-1B between 2 groups but serum TNF-α was higher in smokers. Aerobic exercise test results a significant decrease in serum TNF-α at 0, 60 min and 24 hours compared baseline in smokers but not in non-smokers. Serum IL-1βremained unchanged at all blood samples after exercise test in both groups. All together, based on acute and recovery response of TNF-α to exercise, it seems that a moderate aerobic exercise has beneficial effects on inflammatory profile in smokers.