Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, understanding factors that influence vaccine efficacy is crucial, particularly in older adults. Regular physical exercise and/or structured physical activity (SPA) has emerged as a potential modulator of immune responses, enhancing vaccine effectiveness. This systematic review aims to consolidate current evidence on the impact of SPA/exercise on both immune and inflammatory responses to COVID-19 vaccination in adults and older individuals. Most relevant studies were extracted from indexed databases using health subject terms in English, Portuguese, and Spanish. Studies that examined the impact of regular exercise or SPA on inflammatory and/or immunological responses in relation to COVID-19 immunization were selected. In particular, all chosen studies included individuals who received vaccinations either prior to or following the exercise regimen or SPA, and the main goal was to evaluate these effects on immunological and/or inflammatory reactions induced by vaccination. Among the 7 studies included (n = 1149), the effects of regular exercise or PA on vaccine-induced immune responses while concurrently assessing inflammatory markers were examined. The findings suggest that moderate to high-intensity structured physical activity (50–70% of maximum heart rate for aerobic exercise and 60–80% of 1RM for resistance training), performed 3–5 times per week, was able to enhance immune responses to COVID-19 vaccination, particularly by mitigating chronic low-grade inflammation. Acute exercise can transiently boost immunity, whilst engagement in moderate SPA over a period of six months may contribute to sustained improvements in immune function, especially in older adults. However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to variability in study design, sample characteristics, and potential confounding factors. Regular exercise and SPA play a significant role in improving immune/inflammatory responses to COVID-19 vaccination. Older adults, in particular, may benefit from regular SPA and exercise as a strategy to counteract immunosenescence and optimize vaccine efficacy. However, further research is needed to better refine exercise protocols and determine long-term benefits in different populations.

Obesity has a complex multifactorial etiology and is characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue. Visceral adipose tissue has deleterious effects on health because it secretes large amounts of inflammatory cytokines. Nutritional calorie restriction associated with strength training may be useful in managing chronic systemic inflammation. This study aimed to evaluate the acute effect of a single strength-training session on plasma adipokine levels in sedentary, overweight, and obese young men. This study included twelve men (Age: [34.95 ​± ​9.77] years; Height: [174.16 ​± ​3.66] centimeter [cm]; Weight: [97.83 ​± ​12.87] kilogram (kg); body mass index [BMI]: [32.30 ​± ​4.51] kg/m²), who performed a single strength training session. The strength training protocol consisted of 4 sets of 12 repetitions in the following six exercises, 45° leg press, bench press, leg extension, machine row, leg curl, and shoulder press. Blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and 1-h subsequent after strength training. The plasma levels of resistin and leptin were measured. A significant decrease in resistin levels were found 1 ​h after the strength training session if compared to levels before the training session (pre-[before] [2 390 ​± ​1 199] picograms per milliliter [pg/mL] vs post-1 h [1-h subsequent] [1 523 ​± ​798],6 ​pg/mL, p ​= ​0.002 8). The plasma leptin levels did not differ at any time point. In conclusion, a very well controlled single session of strength training significantly decreased the plasma levels of resistin without altering the concentration of leptin in overweight and obese individuals. This effect, at least in part, supports the benefits of exercise by reducing the low grade inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity.

Fear of Falling (FOF) is a common and natural behavior experienced by most of the elderly population during aging. It is thought to be caused by previous falls, dizziness, depression, and neuromotor impairments. However, the association between FOF and salivary biomarkers such as Cortisol (COR), Testosterone (TT), Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and alpha-amylase activities has not been consistently explored. To explore the association between FOF and general health status, Functional Fitness (FF), and salivary-related stress biomarkers in institutionalized older women. A total of 278 older women were assessed and grouped as having Higher (n = 176) or Lower FOF (n = 102), according to the Falls Efficacy Scale. Saliva samples were collected. The Higher FOF group had superior scores in the depressive state and comorbidity scale (p ≤ 0.05). Participants with Lower FOF showed better FF scores. Salivary levels of cortisol were higher, and DHEA levels were lower in the High FOF group (p ≤ 0.05). Spearman's Rank test showed that FOF was inversely correlated with DHEA, alpha-amylase, and FF, whereas COR was directly associated with the FOF scale. Regression analysis indicated that functional fitness indicators were significantly associated with variations in FOF. However, after adjusting for covariates, the influence of physical-functional fitness was reduced, while depressive symptoms and DHEA levels remained statistically significant in the model, suggesting their stronger association with FOF. The observed associations between FOF and biomarkers, especially DHEA, add important evidence to the growing body of literature exploring the multifactorial nature of FOF. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the biological components involved and may help inform fall-risk monitoring strategies in institutionalized older populations.

Background: There are different types of obesity, and the metabolic conditions associated with these phenotypes are also heterogeneous. Overweight and obesity are not only associated with pain but are also identified as risk factors for the development of pain. Objective: This study aimed to compare the levels of inflammatory biomarkers, counting of immune cells, and chronic pain between android and gynoid female patients with obesity. Method: Thirty (n = 30) women took part in this study (18 androids, age: 50.61 ± 9.41 and 12 gynoids, age: 50.67 ± 9.45). The participants underwent anamnesis, Visual Numeric Scale (VNS), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and blood sampling for the analysis of leukocytes, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin (IL)-6. Results: The number of total leukocytes in the blood was not different when comparing the android group (6045 µL) with the gynoid group (5230 µL). No differences were observed for neutrophils (3440 µL in android and 3017 µL in gynoid), lymphocytes (2208 µL in android and 2115 µL in gynoid), for monocytes (429.7 µL in android and 392.8 µL in gynoid), and basophils (17.27 µL in android and 15.41 µL in gynoid). However, there was a significant difference between the number of eosinophils when comparing the android group (137.6 µL) with the gynoid group (204.9 µL), p = 0.04. Although both groups presented CRP values above 0.3 mg/dL—indicative of low-grade inflammation—no statistically significant difference was observed. Similarly, no difference was found in pain intensity between groups, as measured by the Visual Numeric Scale (VNS). Conclusions: Although most inflammatory and pain markers did not differ between groups, the higher eosinophil count in the gynoid phenotype suggests immunological distinctions between obesity types. These findings underline the importance of considering body fat distribution in clinical assessments of inflammation and chronic pain in women with obesity.