Regular exercise could boost efficacy of COVID-19 vaccination

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Recent research published in BMJ found that regular physical exercise appeared to bolster the efficacy of Janssen’s (NYSE:JNJ) Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19 vaccine.

While the vaccine was 60.0% effective against hospitalization in individuals with a low activity level, efficacy climbed to 85.8% for those with a high activity level. Efficacy was 72.1% for individuals in the moderate activity group.

The research defined low activity as less than 60 minutes of at least moderate-intensity weekly exercise. Moderate activity levels ranged between 61 and 149 minutes of such exercise. High activity levels required at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise.

The study authors defined moderate-level activity based on having an average heart rate between 70% and 79% of maximum.

The study used activity data from wearable devices.

Researchers assessed individuals’ immunity at least 28 days after administration of a single dose of Ad26.COV2.S vaccine.

The study had a total of 196,444 participants.

Study authors concluded that health officials should stress the importance of physical activity in boosting vaccine effectiveness.

Prior studies have found that regular exercise tends to improve immunity and vaccination response in some individuals. For example, a 2013 study published in Human Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics reported that several studies of older adults found improved antibody responses to vaccinations in individuals with high levels of fitness or activity. The study notes that the effect was not apparent, however, in younger adults.

Similarly, a study published earlier this year in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity noted that exercise after influenza or COVID-19 vaccine increased serum antibodies without increasing side effects.

That study, however, concluded that the “theory that eccentric exercise might elicit an inflammatory response to boost antibody has not held up consistently, given the findings showing no benefit of eccentric exercise or a difference only for one sex.”

That research evaluated the impact of 90 minutes of exercise on the immune response four weeks after administration of a flu shot or after the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.