AUTHOR=Crescioli Clara 

TITLE=Vitamin D, exercise, and immune health in athletes: A narrative review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.954994

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2022.954994

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Vitamin D exerts important extra-skeletal effects, exhibiting an exquisite immune regulatory ability, affecting both innate and adaptive immune response through the modulation of immunocyte function and signaling. Remarkably, the immune function of working skeletal muscle, which is fully recognized to behave as a secretory organ with immune capacity, is under the tight control of vitamin D as well. Vitamin D status, meaning hormone sufficiency or insufficiency, can push toward strengthening/stabilization or decline of immune surveillance, with important consequences on health. This aspect is particularly relevant when considering the athletic population: while exercising is, nowadays, the recommended approach to maintain health and counteract inflammatory processes, “too much” exercise, often experienced by athletes, can increase inflammation, decrease immune surveillance and expose to higher risk of diseases. When overexercise intersects hypovitaminosis D, the overall effects on immune system might converge in immune depression and higher vulnerability to diseases.
This paper aims to overview how vitamin D shapes human immune response, acting on immune system and skeletal muscle cells; some aspects of exercise-related immune modifications, are addressed, focusing on athletes. The crossroad where vitamin D and exercise meet can profile whole-body immune response and health.