INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF STRENGTH EXERCISES ON THE IMMUNE SYSTEM'S PERFORMANCE OF ATHLETES IN THE BODY BUILDING CLUBS OF NORTHERN TEHRAN, 2012

Exercise is one of the important factors in the prevention, treatment and maintenance of mental and physical health. The immune system is one of the vital systems, the proper functioning of which guarantees the health of individuals. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of strength exercises on the immune system's performance of athletes in the bodybuilding clubs of northern Tehran in 2012. The study is a randomized-clinical trial, in which 96 athletes from northern Tehran were surveyed in 2012. Demographic data and disease history was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire; for this purpose, the subjects were divided into two groups, with each group including 48 subjects; one group was made to do regular exercises one hour per day and 4 days a week in Hirbad Gym (Tehran, District 3), and the other group was asked not to do any exercise. The medical tests were performed once a week after the exercise was completed. Finally, data analysis using SPSS software version 16 were analyzed. The mean age of the subjects included in the control group was 28±7.56, and the mean age of intervention group was 26 ±6.02, with the oldest and youngest subjects being 37 and 17 years old in order. There was no significant relationship between Eosinophil, Lymphocytes, Neutrophil, IgM, WBC neither in the control nor in the intervention group (P>0.05); but, CD4, CD8, Basophil, Cortisol turned out to be significantly related in both groups (P<0.05). The results of this study showed that, in addition to increasing the function of cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular, and nervous system, heavy exercise and physical fitness training weaken the immune system, in comparison with non-athlete subjects. In addition, regular exercise may have a beneficial effect in treating people with immunodeficiency by increasing muscle strength and muscle tone, and possibly by reducing mental stress and increasing the systemic immune function. Keywords: Strength Exercises, Immune System's, Physical Fitness, Body Building, Tehran.