PERINATAL MALNUTRITION AND THE PROTECTIVE ROLE OF THE PHYSICAL TRAINING ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

Developing organisms have the ability to cope with environmental demands through physiologic and morphologic adaptations. Early life malnutrition has been recognized as an environmental stimulus that is related with down-regulation of immune responses. Some of these effects are explained by the epigenetics and the programming of hormones and cytokines impairing the modulation of the immune cells in response to environmental stimuli. Recently, it has been demonstrated that these effects are not deterministic and current environment, such as physical activity, can positively influence the immune system. Here, we discuss the effects of perinatal malnutrition on the immune system and how it can be modulated by physical training. The mechanism includes the normalization of some hormones concentrations related to growth and metabolism such as leptin, IGF-1 and glucocorticoids.