Differential Reduction of IP-10 and C-Reactive Protein via Aerobic Exercise or Mindfulness-Based Stress-Reduction Training in a Large Randomized Controlled Trial.

Author: Meyer JD1, Hayney MS2, Coe CL2, Ninos CL3, Barrett BP2,3
Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>1 Iowa State University. <sup>2</sup>2 University of Wisconsin-Madison. <sup>3</sup>3 UW Health.
Conference/Journal: J Sport Exerc Psychol.
Date published: 2019 Apr 26
Other: Volume ID: 1-11 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1123/jsep.2018-0214. [Epub ahead of print] , Word Count: 157


Exercise and meditation improve health and well-being, potentially through decreasing systemic inflammation. In this study, healthy adults (N = 413) were randomized to 8 weeks of training in aerobic exercise, matched mindfulness-based stress reduction, or wait-list control. Three inflammation-related biomarkers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10) were assessed preintervention, directly postintervention, and 17 weeks later. Within-group analyses found that exercise participants had decreased serum interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10 postintervention and 17 weeks later, whereas C-reactive protein was lower in mindfulness-based stress-reduction participants 17 weeks postintervention only. Self-reported physical activity or amount of meditation practice did not predict biomarker changes. This study suggests that (a) training in aerobic exercise can lower interferon-gamma-inducible protein-10, a chemokine associated with interferon activity and illness, and (b) training in mindfulness meditation may have a delayed effect on C-reactive protein, an important inflammatory biomarker. The findings highlight the likelihood of multiple, distinct pathways underlying the health-promoting effects of these lifestyle interventions.

KEYWORDS: inflammation; intervention; meditation; physical activity

PMID: 31027457 DOI: 10.1123/jsep.2018-0214