We now know that regular exercise is important for our health. But scientists at Ghent University and the University of Copenhagen have now discovered that suppressing allergic reactions completely negates the positive effects of exercise.
By exercising regularly, we are less likely to develop diabetes, cardiovascular disease or other diseases. However, scientists are still working hard to unravel the different processes in the body responsible for these positive effects. Researchers of the UGent and the University of Copenhagen have focused on one specific molecule in the body in recent years: histamine.
“Histamine is mainly known with regard to allergic reactions,” explains Professor Wim Derave out on the website of Ghent University. During an allergic reaction, the body releases histamine, which leads to the known symptoms of an allergy. These symptoms are usually controlled with medication that counteracts the action of histamine: antihistamines.
There were already some suggestions in the scientific literature that histamine could also play a role during exercise. Therefore, the researchers decided to investigate the role of histamine in the positive effects of regular exercise.
BETTER PERFORMANCE WITH PLACEBO
They did this by putting healthy, physically inactive men on an exercise program for six weeks. Part of this group received antihistamines, which blocked the action of histamine. The other group was given a placebo.
The researchers found very clear training effects in the placebo group. This group not only performed better, but also had better glucose tolerance and better functioning blood vessels. “This again highlights the very important and broad positive effects of regular exercise. If you exercise three times a week for six weeks, you can already see very clear effects,” said Professor Derave.
However, the main finding was that these positive effects were almost completely canceled out in the group receiving antihistamines. Despite exercising the same amount and doing their best, this group had little or no beneficial effects from the training program. Thus, eliminating the action of one specific molecule has dramatic consequences.
WARNING
“Our research suggests that the action of histamine during exercise is an evolutionary long-standing and very important mechanism,” said Professor Derave, who warns that it should not be concluded now that everyone should stop taking antihistamines in the event of an allergy. .
Future research is needed to further understand the potential interaction between antihistamines and the effects of exercise. The researchers used higher doses than normal, as well as a combination of two types of antihistamines that are normally not combined.
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