ABSTRACT
A program of regular aerobic exercise has been shown to elicit beneficial outcomes in both the prevention and rehabilitation of many disease states, including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Fundamental to an effective immune response is proper function of macrophages. Macrophages attack and process antigens before presentation to T-cells for recognition. Despite the age-associated involution of the thymus, T-cell numbers appear to be maintained with age in peripheral blood and in lymphoid organs. However, the percentage of T-cells capable of entering mitosis/replication cycle, necessary for complete immune responsiveness, has been reported to decline with advancing age. Endurance training is well known to elicit significant improvements in many cardiovascular and musculoskeletal variables including maximal oxygen consumption, stroke volume, local blood flow, and proliferation of mitochondrial enzymes.
