Circulating Myokine Responses to Acute Endurance Exercise and Their Role in Immunoregulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of endurance exercise intervention studies
PubMed 41661185 · doi:10.1096/fj.202504780R
What was done
A systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD42024535364; search June 2024) evaluated changes in circulating myokine concentrations before and immediately after acute endurance exercise in healthy individuals. The assessed markers included IL-6, IL-10, IL-1ra, TNF-α, IL-15, IL-7, IL-8, transforming growth factor β1, and fractalkines. Moderator analyses examined exercise characteristics, participant demographics, and methodological variables.
What was found
The abstract reports statistically significant small-moderate to very large positive effect sizes for increases in IL-6, IL-10, IL-1ra, IL-8, IL-15, and TNF-α. No numerical effect sizes, confidence intervals, or specific values are reported in the abstract. Responses were significantly moderated by risk of bias, sex, age, V̇O2 peak, experience, exercise type, intensity, duration, dose, sample, fasting state, and time of day.
Why it matters
This review establishes that endurance exercise reliably elevates circulating immunoregulatory myokines across diverse conditions, supporting its therapeutic role in modulating immune signaling and promoting anti-inflammatory adaptations.
Limits
The abstract does not disclose the number of included studies, total participant sample size, or specific numerical effect sizes. The analysis is limited to healthy individuals and immediate post-exercise timepoints, leaving delayed post-exercise kinetics and clinical populations unaddressed.
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