Nutrition and Exercise Immunology / Edition 1

by David C. Nieman, Bente Klarlund Pedersen

Overview

Like an army of millions ready to defend its territory, the human immune system acts as the body's primary line of defense-a complex network of interacting cells that protects us from pathogens and other foreign substances. But many components of the immune system exhibit change after prolonged, heavy exertion, indicating that it is suppressed and stressed, albeit transiently, following prolonged endurance exercise.

For marathon runners, distance swimmers and any other endurance athlete who undergoes repeated cycles of heavy exertion, a weakened immune system could lead to health complications such as respiratory infection. As a result, interest in various nutrient supplements with the potential to counter exercise-induced immunosuppression has grown.

Nutrition and Exercise Immunology reviews the link between nutrition and immune function, with special application to athletic endeavor. Written by respected researchers in sports medicine and exercise immunology, this text covers topics such as carbohydrates and the immune response to prolonged exertion; protein, exercise, and immunity; and vitamins, immunity, and infection risk in athletes. It also takes a look at future directions in nutrition and exercise immunology.

For sports medicine professionals, dietitians, nutritionists, exercise immunologists, as well as endurance athletes, Nutrition and Exercise Immunology provides an important and in-depth look into this exciting, new area of scientific research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780849307416
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/29/2000
Series:	Nutrition in Exercise & Sport
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	204
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Nieman, David C.; Pedersen, Bente Klarlund

Table of Contents

Exercise Immunology: Current Issues. Carbohydrates and the Immune Response to Prolonged Exertion. Lipids, Exercise, and Immunology. Protein, Exercise and Immunity. Glutamine, Exercise, and the Immune System. Vitamins, Immunity, and Infection Risk in Athletes. Minerals and Exercise Immunology. Cancer, Nutrition, and Exercise Immunology. Exercise, Immune Function, and Nutrition: Summary and Future Perspectives.



Marketing Class Code: 1R, 1R3, 1R6

Shelving Guide: Nutrition, Nutrition and Disease, Nutrition in Sports and Recreation

Category:

Subcategory: Nutrition, Nutrition and Disease, Nutrition in Sports and Recreation

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Marian L. Kohut, PhD (Iowa State University)
Description: This book describes the influence of nutrients on immunity and places special emphasis on nutrient intake, immune response to exercise, and susceptibility to infection in athletes.
Purpose: The objectives are worthy in that a comprehensive review of this topic does not exist. Readers may benefit from the information suggesting a link between specific nutrient intake and possible reduction in susceptibility to infection or exercise-induced immunosuppression. The book meets the author's objectives in providing a review of the links between nutrition and immune function. However, very limited data is presented in direct support of the assumed hypotheses (specific nutrient intake alters susceptibility to infection in endurance athletes).
Audience: This book is targeted towards sports medicine professionals, dietitians, exercise immunologists, and endurance athletes. Readers who are not well versed in basic immunology may have some difficulty with some of the text. An overview of the immune system is not provided and some readers may be left questioning the physiological significance of reported immunological alterations.
Features: The first chapter reviews the modulation of immunity by exercise and subsequent chapters provide an overview of immune system effects from specific nutrients as well as data linking the nutrient to immunological changes that occur during exercise. Although not all nutrients are reviewed, most that may be important to endurance athletes are reviewed. Many readers will be interested in the studies suggesting that intake of a given nutrient during competition may reduce the risk of infection.
Assessment: The authors cite current publications and researchers in exercise immunology will find this a useful book. One limitation is that indirect associations are relied on to link nutrition, exercise, and immunity rather than direct, hypothesis-driven, well-controlled studies. This limitation is likely due to the fact that this type of data is not widely published and the authors are left to speculate, rather than provide solid evidence for their assumptions.

Doody's Review Service

3 Stars from Doody

Nieman (health and exercise science, Appalachian State U.) and Pedersen (Department of Infectious Medicine at Righospitalet, Denmark) present nine contributions which review the links between nutrition and immune function, with special application to athletic activities. Topics covered include carbohydrates and the immune response to prolonged exertion; protein, exercise, and immunity; the relationship between vitamins and infection risk in athletes; cancer and exercise immunology; and future perspectives. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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