Nutrition and exercise can attenuate inflammatory and psychobiological changes in hypoxia?

Abstract

Exposure to hypoxia causes damage in several physiological systems, whose tissues are dependent on the O2 supply. Recently, there has been growing attention on the immunosuppressive and inflammatory potential of the hypoxia, including stimulation, nuclear factor kappa B pathway in macrophages and Th2 response from lymphocytes. These changes may result in transient immunosuppression and happen at the same time to worsening of cognition and other psychobiological aspects. Furthermore, exercise and nutrition, especially glutamine supplementation may provide important role, not pharmacological partially reversing the effects of hypoxia. In fact, recent studies show that moderate exercise can improve cognition in people exposed to hypoxia while the exercise associated with glutamine supplementation can reverse the increase in inflammatory markers and the Th1/Th2 balance. This review aims to bring the light of the discussion about nonpharmacological ways to prevent the effects of hypoxia on the connection between the immune system and the central nervous system.

Keywords

• Physical exercise
• High altitude
• Inflammation
• Cognition
• Glutamine