Cytokine response to strenuous exercise in athletes and non-athletes—an adaptive response

Exercise and physical strenuous activity have been demonstrated to increase the serum TNF-α and IL-6. Regular physical training is expected to attenuate such a response. This study was undertaken to understand the impact of regular exercise training on IL-6 and TNF-α in athletes and non-athletes. Ten athletes, who have been on regular training for the past 6 months, and 10 age- and sex-matched subjects (non-athlete group) who had no practice of regular exercise, were recruited. Both were subjected to undergo the same frequency level of strenuous exercise. Blood samples were collected; one before strenuous exercise and the other after the exercise. Plasma cytokines, IL-6 and TNF-α, were estimated using Sandwich ELISA method. All participants in the study were male with the athletes’ age being 18.00 ± 1.3 years (mean ± SD) and the non-athletes were aged 20.00 ± 0.6 years (mean ± SD). Majority of the athletes and non-athletes demonstrated a rise in IL-6 and a fall in TNF-α levels. Further, the athletes showed a lesser magnitude of change in the cytokine levels following a longer duration of exercise than non-athletes. Athletes appear to have an attenuated cytokine response. Regular physical training has been demonstrated to attenuate the immune response to exercise in either direction.