Can You Train Your Immune System to Work Better?

A way found to make natural killer cells more efficient and effective

Image: Design_Cells/Shutterstock. Used under the writer’s license

Healthy habits like good sleep, eating well and getting plenty of physical activity are frequently tied to improved health outcomes on average, from lower risk for chronic diseases to longer life. There’s no argument on that general conclusion. Exactly why remains, in many ways, TBD. Among the reasons, most experts agree: Healthy habits boost the immune system, as much research has suggested.

However, most of the research on how to bolster the immune system reveals links and associations, not firm proof of cause-and effect. Much of the most promising findings have come from research on rodents and fish. So: “There are no scientifically proven direct links between lifestyle and enhanced immune function,” Harvard Health scientists state.

Sure, proof is hard to come by in any health research. But the preponderance of evidence is strong. And a new study, albeit a small one, adds compelling support to the idea that you can improve, or train, your immune system.

Take the long view

Endurance-related exercise, over long periods of time, bolsters the effectiveness of beneficial white blood cells affectionately known as killer cells, which…