Introduction:

Exercise improves many aspects of human health, including, regulating the immune system. Moderate training has been shown to exert anti-inflammatory effects. By improving immune functions, it reduces the incidence of non-communicable diseases and susceptibility to viral infections.

Objective:

To describe the effects of physical activity on the innate and adaptive immune system.

Methods:

The PubMed and Google Scholar databases were used. The terms "physical exercise", "immunity", "macrophage", "neutrophils", "lymphocytes" and "immunoglobulins" were used, according to the Health Sciences descriptor (DeCS). Eighty-six articles were included in the review.

Conclusions:

Acute exercise (moderate to vigorous intensity, less than 150 min) is considered an immunostimulant because it enhances the antimicrobicidal activity of macrophages and increases the synthesis of anti-inflammatory cytokines. In addition, it favors the movement of neutrophils, NK cells, cytotoxic T cells and immature B cells.

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