The effect of 6-month aerobic exercise on levels of serum immunoglobulins in untrained middle-aged women

The results of researches have shown that heavy and prolonged exercise increases the risk of upper respiratory tract infection in athletics. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a 6 month aerobic exercise on the levels of serum immunoglobulin in untrained middle-aged women. For this study، nineteen healthy female middle-aged personnel of Ferdowsi university of Mashhad were selected by convenience sampling method and were randomly divided into two experimental (11 people) and control (8 people) groups. The exercise protocol included aerobic exercise training lasting for 6 months and 3 sessions per week and every session lasted for 60 minutes and with an intensity of 55-65 percent of heart rate reserve. Blood samples were taken and serum immunoglobulin (IgA، IgM، and IgG) were measured before and after 6 month aerobic training period. For comparison of means within and between groups، paired-samples t test and independent t-test were used، respectively at a significance level of p<0. 05. The findings showed that the level of serum immunoglobulin G in middle-aged women reduced significantly. However، the levels of immunoglobulin M and A during this period did not significantly change. It is concluded that intensity and duration of exercise affect the performance of the immune system and increase the risk of infection. Researchers believed that long and intensive exercises weaken the immune system while moderate and short exercises make this system strengthened.