Physical Exercise as a Multimodal Tool for COVID-19: Could It Be Used as a Preventive Strategy?

Diego Fernández-Lázaro, Jerónimo J. González-Bernal, Nerea Sánchez-Serrano, Lourdes Jiménez Navascués, Ana Ascaso-del-Río and Juan Mielgo-Ayuso
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Diego Fernández-Lázaro: Department of Cellular Biology, Histology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Campus of Soria, University of Valladolid, 42003 Soria, Spain
Jerónimo J. González-Bernal: Cavidito Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of Burgos, 09001 Burgos, Spain
Nerea Sánchez-Serrano: Microbiology Unit of the Santa Bárbara Hospital, Castilla-Léon Health (SACyL), 42003 Soria, Spain
Lourdes Jiménez Navascués: Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Campus of Soria, University of Valladolid, 42003 Soria, Spain
Ana Ascaso-del-Río: Clinical Pharmacology Service, IdISSC, San Carlos Clinical Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Juan Mielgo-Ayuso: Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Campus of Soria, University of Valladolid, 42003 Soria, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 22, 1-13

Abstract: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel coronavirus not previously recognized in humans until late 2019. On 31 December 2019, a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unspecified etiology was reported to the World Health Organization in China. The availability of adequate SARS-CoV-2 drugs is also limited, and the efficacy and safety of these drugs for COVID-2019 pneumonia patients need to be assessed by further clinical trials. For these reasons, there is a need for other strategies against COVID-19 that are capable of prevention and treatment. Physical exercise has proven to be an effective therapy for most chronic diseases and microbial infections with preventive/therapeutic benefits, considering that exercise involves primary immunological mediators and/or anti-inflammatory properties. This review aimed to provide an insight into how the implementation of a physical exercise program against COVID-19 may be a useful complementary tool for prevention, which can also enhance recovery, improve quality of life, and provide immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in the long term. In summary, physical exercise training exerts immunomodulatory effects, controls the viral gateway, modulates inflammation, stimulates nitric oxide synthesis pathways, and establishes control over oxidative stress.

Keywords: COVID-19; physical exercise; health care; immune system; inflammation; oxidative stress; nitric oxide (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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