Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41049033›Full record

ReviewJournal of exercise science and fitness2025

Impact of aerobic exercise on immune components across healthy and diseased populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Gengxin Dong, Xueying He, Jiya He, Dapeng Bao, Qi Gao, Junhong Zhou

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of exercise science and fitness, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Gengxin DongSchool of Sport Medicine and Physical Therapy, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
Xueying HeChina Institute of Sport and Health Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
Jiya HeSchool of Strength and Conditioning Training, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
Dapeng BaoChina Institute of Sport and Health Science, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
Qi GaoSchool of Sport Medicine and Physical Therapy, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, China.
Junhong ZhouHebrew Senior Life Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Aerobic exercise may improve immune component quantities in healthy and diseased populations, but its effects across different health conditions and immune systems remain unclear. This review examined its impact on immune components in both populations. Methods: A search in June 2025 across four databases included randomized controlled studies on aerobic exercise's effects on immune components in adults. Data (M ± SD) were extracted and converted to standardized mean difference (SMD) using random-effect meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen studies (502 participants) were included. The meta-analysis results showed long-term aerobic exercise increased T-cell counts in diseased individuals (p < 0.05) but not in healthy ones (p > 0.05). It significantly reduced IgA levels in healthy participants compared to non-exercising controls (p < 0.05), potentially counteracting natural temporal increases observed in sedentary populations, without affecting IgG, IgM, leukocytes, neutrophils, or monocytes in either group (p > 0.05). Single-pass exercise did not alter leukocytes, lymphocytes, CD3 Conclusions: Long-term aerobic exercise primarily affects adaptive immune components, benefiting individuals with unstable immune conditions. Single-pass exercise has no effect on healthy populations, making long-term interventions more suitable for improving adaptive immunity in unstable immune states. Systematic review registration: www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier: CRD42024546696.

Indexed as

Adaptive immunityAerobic exerciseImmune component quantitiesInnate immunity

Identifiers

PMID41049033
PMCPMC12494552

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.