A Single Bout Of Exercise Can Make Your Flu Shot More Effective
Syringe Wikimedia CommonsJust make sure your sweat levels are optimal. So, you've gotten yourself a flu shot. Good thinking, since this flu season is especially rough. A shot's not always going to save you--even the best batches are only about 70 percent effective--but there's a simple way to improve your odds: exercise. The strength of a flu shot depends on how many antibodies it helps develop, which varies from person to person. But people in one group, the physically fit, generally have a better response to the shots, and thus a reduced chance of catching the bug every winter. Even the elderly, who usually don't respond very well to inoculation, improved their odds when they exercised more often, the New York Times points out. And a single workout after getting the shot resulted in twice the response from antibodies, according to one study. How that translates into what an inoculated...