Energy balance
Higher leisure-time physical activity is associated with lower plasma levels of obesity-related inflammatory markers (sTNF-R1, sTNF-R2, IL-6, CRP) and improved insulin sensitivity, but this association is largely mediated by lower body fat (BMI and leptin) rather than a direct anti-inflammatory effect of exercise itself.
If you want to lower inflammatory markers like CRP and IL-6, increasing your physical activity is effective, but the primary mechanism is likely the reduction of body fat (weight loss) that often accompanies activity. Simply exercising without changes in body composition may not significantly lower these specific markers compared to those who are less active but have similar body fat levels.
These results suggest that frequent physical activity is associated with lower systemic inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity. These associations can partially be explained by a lower degree of obesity in physically active subjects... our study suggests that they do not directly account for the beneficial effects of physical activity on insulin resistance.
Why this rating
Large prospective cohort studies (HPFS, NHS2) with rigorous biomarker measurement, though cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
Source
Leisure‐Time Physical Activity and Reduced Plasma Levels of Obesity‐Related Inflammatory Markers
Tobias Pischon et al. · Obesity Research · 2003
DOI 10.1038/oby.2003.145
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