Abstract
32 postmenopausal women were randomized to a 16-week home-based walking program or
control group. Before and after the intervention, each subject completed a graded
maximal treadmill test to establish VO2max and resting saliva was collected to determine levels of salivary immunoglobulin A.
The 16-week walking program resulted in an increase in VO2max (+10.4%; p<0.01). Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a marked increase in the resting
secretion rate of salivary immunoglobulin A (+37.4%; p<0.05) in the exercise group
following training. Independent of study group, both before and after the intervention,
the secretion rate of salivary immunoglobulin A ( − 32.3%) and saliva flow rate (− 29.3%)
were reduced following acute maximal exercise (p<0.05). Weekly upper respiratory symptomatology
logs revealed that the number of incidences of upper respiratory symptoms throughout
the intervention period were the same and the duration per incidence (control: 5.3±1.5
days; exercise: 6.3±2.2 days) were similar between study groups. These findings in
postmenopausal women support that the secretion rate of salivary immunoglobulin A
and saliva flow rate are reduced immediately following maximal exercise. Moreover,
a 16-week moderate intense walking program can increase the secretion of salivary
immunoglobulin A without affecting upper respiratory symptomatology.
Key words
salivary IgA - immunity - postmenopausal - acute exercise - chronic exercise
