World Journal of Medical Sciences 12 (1): 67-71, 2015
ISSN 1817-3055
© IDOSI Publications, 2015
DOI: 10.5829/idosi.wjms.2015.12.1.92200
The Effect of Land Walking on White Blood Cell and its
Sub-Fractions in Young Women
Nasim Habibzadeh
Department of Sport Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
Abstract: Movements have a beneficial effect on immune system; however the anti-inflammatory role of aerobic
training on immune system in sedentary young individual those who have inactive lifestyles is poorly
investigated. Thus, the current study sought to examine the impact of aerobic exercise training in the form of
walking seclude on immune functions in part WBC and sub - types as preventive interventions among inactive
young women with different body compositions. The participant were 18 (Exe [O] =9 & Con [O] =9) obese and
20 slim (Exe [S] =10 & Con [S] =10) BMI-matched women (21.5 ± 1.6 yr). Prior to study all subjects underwent
somatic (age and height, weight and BMI) assessments and blood sampling (WBCs, neutrophil, lymphocyte,
eosinophil and monocyte and RBC) tests and all measurements (except age and height) were repeated at post
exercise intervention. After 8 weeks in experimental groups WBCs [(Exe [O]: 5977.77 ± 552.9 & 6422.2 ± 754.7
Cumm vs Con [O]: 6288.88 ± 449.5 & 6466.66 ± 463.7 Cumm) and (Exe [S]:5530.23±203.6 & 5960.55±543.4 vs
Con[S]:5680.45±698.1 vs 6040.76± 123.8)] did not show any significant change compared with control groups,
P = 0.354 and WBC sub-fractions (neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil and monocyte) did not alter either P >
0.05. RBC [(Exe [O]:4.35±21& 4.98±88 vs Con [O]: 4.76±84 & 4.91±19 and (Exe [S]: 4.34±12 & 4.41±20 vs
Con[S]:4.46±25 & 4.50±08)] also remained unchanged P>0.05 over two months study period. The obese
experimental group (Exe [O]) however significantly (p<0.001) reduced their body mass by 2% and BMI by 3%.
Consequently, the consensus of this study demonstrate walking seems to be a safe exercise to optimize health
through huge potential savings to immunize bodily system from many disease over time.
Key words: Walking
Immune System
Diseases
INTRODUCTION
sedentary young individuals stimulates the phagocytic
capacity of neutrophils which can last for at least 24 hours
[11]. Shimizu et al. [12] in another study demonstrated
that exercise training may boost monocyte - mediated
immunity in elderly individuals. Regular physical activity
is correlated with white blood cells sub - fraction'
concentration [13]. Sedentary individual are prone to
develop a decrease in their immune system function
while doing exercise for a little amount each day may be
helpful to protect WBC subgroups' compartment [14]
(Petersen and Pedersen, 2005). Among different of sport'
activities, aerobic exercise is well - known in health
promotions [15,16]; however the anti-inflammatory role of
aerobic training on immune system in sedentary young
individual those who have inactive lifestyles is poorly
investigated. Thus, the current study sought to examine
the impact of aerobic exercise training in the form of
White blood cells (WBCs) which also termed
leukocytes are the cells of the immune system that
produces from bone marrow that circulate into the
bloodstream [1, 2]. Diverse types of white blood cells exist
including basophile, lymphocyte, neutrophil and
monocyte which defeat infections invade the body [3, 4].
In fact, the white blood cells account for clinical marker
of inflammation and elevated WBC and its sub - fractions
count are considered directly to be related with all cases
of cardiovascular diseases, cancers and ultimately early
death [5, 6].
Movements have a beneficial effect on immune
system [7, 8]. Researches indicate that exercise supports
immune function through anti-inflammatory action [9, 10].
Ortega et al. (2005) stated that moderate exercise in
Corresponding Author: Nasim Habibzadeh, Department of Sport Science, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.
E-mail: [email protected].
67
World J. Med. Sci., 12 (1): 67-71, 2015
Exercise Intervention: Experimental groups involved at 8
weeks training at 60 % HRmax at intensity equal with 40%
VO2max consisting of 30-minute supervised indoor
walking exercise 3 days per week at a normal controlled
environment condition with temperature degree 21 C and
relative humidity (RH) 20%. During the exercise session
heart rate was monitored by a digital heart monitor (PE
4000, Polar Electro Oy and Finland, 2004) and exercise was
performed with music to stimulate the subjects to walk in
their optimal predicted maximum heart rate (as 220 - age).
All control (Con) participants were asked to carry on their
sedentary lifestyle throughout the research period and
this was checked by constant communication via
telephone or weekly visit.
walking seclude on immune functions in part WBC
and sub - types as preventive interventions among
inactive young women with different body
compositions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Initially, 40 untrained obese (n=20 [O] BMI = 30) and
slim (n=20 [S] BMI = 20) young women (21.5 ± 1.6 yr)
volunteered to participate in this study and then they
were randomly assigned into two experimental and two
control groups, each consisting of 10 obese (Exe [O]=10
& Con[O]=10 ) and 10 slim(Exe [S]=10 & Con[S]=10)
BMI-matched subjects. Prior to study volunteers
underwent medical examination and were found clinically
healthy. They were free from any muscle or skeletal injury,
cardiovascular disease, were non-smoker and had not
been engaged in any specific sport activities for at least
two years. All subjects submitted their written consents
to participate prior to the study which was approved by
the local Committee of Ethics.
Statistical Data Analysis: The data were analyzed using
Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (version
18; SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL USA). Mean and standard
division (X ± SD) were used as descriptive statistics.
Unpaired t -test was used to quantify the Pre-Post
changes studied variables, where the level of P < 0.05
binge considered significant.
Anthropometric Measurements: The body weight at
kilogram (kg) in light clothing, without shoes was
measured using an electronic weighing scale (Seca model
707, Digital Scales Ltd. Japan) and the height in centimetre
(cm) was assessed with a local - constructed wooden
stadiometer (Seca, Stadiometer Scales Ltd. Iran). Body
mass index (BMI) was computed as (weight / height2,
kg/m2). All somatic assessments occurred in environment
controlled exercise physiology laboratories at the
University of Guilan by the same equipment at the
baseline (pre) and after 8-weeks (post) of the study
screening.
RESULTS
In the beginning 4 people (Exe [O] =1, Con [O] =1 and
Exe [S] =2) of total 40 subjects had a WBC below 4500
Cumm that was less than the normal number of WBCs
(4.500-10.000 per Cumm) in the bloodstream. Flowing this,
95% of subjects completed the study because 2 obese
people one from control (n=1) and another from
experimental (n=1) group did not take part at the
post - measurement tests and 38 people in total 18
subjects from obese (control, n=9 & experimental, n=9)
and 20 subjects from slim group (control, n=10 &
experimental, n=10) were the population of this research
entirely. The subjects were not significantly in mean age
(Exe [O] =22.2 ± 1.9 vs Con[O] =22.6 ± 1.5 & Exe [S] =
21.1± 1.7 vs Con[S]= 21.9± 1.2 year) and height
(Exe [O] =157.7 ± 5.1 vs Con[O] =159.1 ± 1.5 and Exe [S] =
159.9± 7.5 vs Con[S]= 162.7± 6.6 cm) p > 0.05, yet they
were substantially different in body mass index (BMI, Exe
[O] =30.2±1.8 vs Con[O] =30.9± 3.3 and Exe [S] = 17.8± 1.2
vs Con[S]=17.5± 1.1) p < 0.05 (Table 1). After 8 weeks in
experimental groups WBCs [(Exe [O]: 5977.77 ± 552.9 &
6422.2 ± 754.7 Cumm vs Con [O]: 6288.88 ± 449.5 & 6466.66
± 463.7 Cumm) and (Exe[S]:5530.23±203.6 & 5960.55±543.4
vs Con[S]:5680.45±698.1 vs 6040.76± 123.8)] did not show
any significant change compared with control groups,
Blood Sampling: 10 ml of venous blood sample was taken
from appropriate arm (right or left) in siting position
between 8 to 11 am after 12 hour after an overnight fast.
Selected hematology samples after that was centrifuged
at 1500 rpm for 30 min at 4°C within 2 h and serum samples
were stored frozen at -20° C until assayed.The white blood
cells (WBCs) and red blood cell (RBC) was analyzed using
fully automated hematology analyzer Sysmex KX-21N
(Sysamex, Corporation, KX-21N, Japane) and each WBC
' sub - fraction (neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil and
monocyte) was quantified as total percentages of 100% of
WBC count. The same technician in clinical chemistry
laboratory performed all blood measurements at both
pre- and - post - testing.
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World J. Med. Sci., 12 (1): 67-71, 2015
Table 1: Changes in variables in subjects’ pre and post assessments (X ± SD)
Variables
Pre
Post
---------Obese Exe--------------
Pre
Post
-----------Obese Con------------
Pre
Post
--------------Slim Exe-------------
Pre
Post
----------------Slim Con----------------21.9± 1.2
Age (years)
22.2 ± 1.9
22.6 ± 1.5
21.1± 1.7
Height (cm)
Weight (kg)
157.7 ± 5.1
75.0± 8.1
73.3± 7.7*
159.1 ± 1.5
78.1± 10.9
78.1± 10.1
159.9± 7.5
46.9± 5.3
46.4± 5.2
162.7± 6.6
46.5± 5.7
46.3± 5.2
BMI(kg/m )
WBC (Cumm)
30.2±1.8
5977.77± 552.9
29.2± 2.1*
6422.2± 754.7
30.9± 3.3
6288.88± 449.5
30.3±3.2
6466.66± 463.7
17.8± 1.2
5530.23±203.6
17.8± 1.5
5960.55±543.4
17.5± 1.1
5680.45±698.1
17.6± 0.1
6040.76±123.8
RBC(mil/micl)
Neutrophil %
4.35±21
56.78±77
4.98±88
55.89±88
4.76±84
56.22±22
4.91±19
52.44±50
4.34±12
49.8±01
4.41±20
58.6±15
4.46±25
53.00±01
4.50±08
55.6±10
Lymphocyte%
Eosinophil%
38.89±88
2.44±12
39.56±55
3.00±22
39.33±03
2.11±10
41.77±18
2.89±14
45.4±11
2.7±33
36.6±24
2.8±17
43.6±15
1.5±14
39.8±01
2.7±26
Monocyte%
1.89±88
1.56±56
2.33±09
1.55±26
1.4±24
1.7±06
1.9±02
1.7±21
2
Significantly different from the respective ‘Pre’ value p < 0.05*
*Exe = Exercise * Con = Control
Fig. 1: Change in WBC in Pre and Post trail among the groups (Slim Experimental, Slim Control, Obese Experimental, and
Obese Control)
Fig. 2: Change in RBC in Pre and Post trail among the groups (Slim Experimental, Slim Control, Obese Experimental, and
Obese Control)
P = 0.354 (Figure1) and WBC sub-fractions (neutrophil,
lymphocyte, eosinophil and monocyte) did not alter either
P > 0.05. RBC [(Exe [O]:4.35±21& 4.98±88 vs Con [O]:
4.76±84 & 4.91±19 and (Exe [S]: 4.34±12 & 4.41±20 vs
Con[S]:4.46±25 & 4.50±08)] also remained unchanged
P>0.05 over two months study period (Figure 2).
The obese experimental group (Exe [O]) however
significantly (p<0.001) reduced their body mass by 2%
and BMI by 3% (Table 1).
69
DISCUSSION
The immune system response to exercise depends
on the nature of exercise [17]. While widely is
accepted that acute and chronic exercises alter the
number and function of circulating cells of the innate
immune system (e.g. neutrophils, monocytes) [18] a
30-min walking bouts with 60 % HRmax 3 times per week
at 8 weeks in this study did not change WBCs counts and
World J. Med. Sci., 12 (1): 67-71, 2015
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
its sub- fraction (neutrophil, lymphocyte, eosinophil and
monocyte) in young women (21.5 +/- 1.6 yr). Nieman et al.
[15] similarly demonstrated a 30-minute walk at
approximately 60% VO(2max), three sessions did not notably
alter the pattern of several components of immunity
(e.g. neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes) in female
subjects (37.5 +/- 3.1 yr). Suggesting a simple programme
of aerobic routine of walking even at low intensity level is
able to balance immune function to reduce the chance of
developing high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease,
osteoporosis and cancer over time. Michishita et al. [16]
earlier stated that aerobic ergometer exercise after 6 weeks
training had cardiovascular protective effects as a result
of decreased leukocyte, monocyte and neutrophil counts
in which inhibited inflammatory processes in aged women
(53.4 +/- 9.8 years). Johannsen et al. [19] also reported
that 6 months of aerobic exercise reduces total WBC and
neutrophil counts in sedentary postmenopausal women
(51.2 +/-1 years) and decreased in neutrophil count was
associated with approximate 4% reduction in CHD risk
factors. Further, while cycling, running and swimming
have been shown to cause RBC damage[20] walking
training at current study did not caused any deformity at
red blood cells (RBCs) in experimental groups after
exercise intervention and they still had normal reference
range of RBC for female adults (4.5-5.1mil /micl).
This implies a balanced oxygen (O2) transport to
exercising muscles and tissues during exercise to boost
immune action as anti-inflammatory effects of walking
training [21]. More interestingly,the 4 or 40 % of people
who had a WBCs count below normal range (4.500-10.000
per Cumm) (that points to a blood disorder or other
medical conditions ) at the beginning did not show
abnormality at WBCs count after post - exercise
measurement that partially can be explained by an immune
enhancing benefit of exercise programme in experimental
groups (Exe [O] =1 and Exe [S] =2) and to somewhat
because of the informative aspects of this research in one
obese control subject (Con [O] =1) by behavioral changes
that may occurred.
In conclusion, to wide extent of knowledge, this is the
first research that exhibits a balanced training such as
walking simply boost immunity in young adult as an
efficient preventive design in several clinical conditions
(i.e. cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension,
diabetes and cancers) since the consensus of this study
demonstrate walking seems to be a safe exercise to
optimize health through huge potential savings to
immunize bodily system from many disease over time.
This study was not funded by any organizations and
thanks for all the participant who devote their time to
make this research.
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