Health Benefits Related to Exercise in Patients With Chronic Low-Grade Systemic Inflammation

Today, there is substantial evidence to suggest that regular exercise has health-promoting effects, which are beyond its effect on weight control. Regular exercise offers protection against all-cause mortality, and there is evidence from randomized intervention studies that physical training is effective as a treatment in patients with chronic heart diseases, type 2 diabetes, and symptoms related with the metabolic syndrome. Chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes are associated with chronic low-grade systemic inflammation. This review focuses on the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise that are mediated by muscle-derived cytokines (myokines). It is suggested that myokines may be involved in mediating the health-beneficial effects of exercise and that these in particular are involved in the protection against chronic diseases associated with low-grade inflammation.