2 Course Series

Designed to help professionals understand and evaluate the relationship between exercise, immune function and infection risk, these courses present evidence for the “J-shaped” relationship between exercise load and infection risk. They also describe the components of the human immune system and key functions that protect the body from disease, the impact of acute and chronic psychological stress on immune function, and practical guidelines for minimizing the risk of immunodepression and infection in athletes.

The courses explore different ways of measuring immune function, as well as the effects of heavy training on innate and specific (acquired) immunity, exercise in environmental extremes, and nutrition. Connections between exercise, infection risk, and immune function in special populations are also addressed.