Maximizing the Efficacy of Exercise and Supplementation - Part 1
From studies I have read, vaccinations have varying effects on serum vitamin D (cholecalciferol) levels. My theory is that while vaccinations, ultimately, are essential for a more robust immune system, it may take time for the immune system to recover afterward.
Question about Vitamin D
So what does vitamin D do in the body? From what I have read and from what I understand, vitamin D is essential for cell proliferation. Our bodies turn over cells every day, and cholecalciferol plays a significant role in producing new cells.
In most mammals, nearly every cell has vitamin D receptors--including immune cells. Many of the body's immune cells are in the small intestines. In humans, the small intestines' surface area is somewhere between 2,300 and 2600 square feet. So if vitamin D helps the body generate new cells, it is understandable how vitamin D might be good for the immune system and, ultimately, the immune system.
The thing is, though, I feel I have had issues with flu vaccines. It may be that I typically had had insufficient levels of vitamin D. A few years ago, I emailed my doctor because I was concerned about a flu shot's side effects. I mean, why do I usually get sick after getting a flu shot?
Ask Good Questions
I remembered getting sick directly after receiving my flu shot in 2016. So in 2017, in an email, I informed my doctor that I rarely get vaccinated for the flu. I explained how I was willing to get the flu shot, but I wanted some advice. I let my doctor know that I often do a high-intensity cardio workout in the mornings and a strength training exercise sometime later in the day. I hypothesized that I could avoid getting sick after my seasonal flu vaccination if I just did only one of those two types of exercises before and after the shot. I just needed to know which type of exercise would be the easiest on my immune system.
The doctor told me to hold back on the cardio and continue with the resistance training. I followed the plan, and I did not get sick. Being the skeptic that I am, though, the next year, I reversed the protocol. I did the cardio (six minutes) and skipped on the resistance training (twenty minutes), I got really sick.
I wonder if one could say something similar about exercise's effect on serum vitamin D levels. After my three-year experiment, it is obvious that sometimes cardio does more to diminish the blood serum vitamin D than lifting weights. This also follows the line of thinking that I am more likely to get sick when my vitamin D levels are low. If the stress in the form of exercise can reduce serum 25(OH)D levels, is it possible that stress from vaccination has a similar effect?
Exercise Then Recover Well
For example, regular physical activity is a good practice for achieving positive health outcomes. Many could agree that a 30-minute walk might be useful for our health. It may be relatively easy to recover from a 30-minute walk. A 30-hour walk, though, would mean, for one, that we would not be sleeping for at least 30 hours. After walking for more than one day without stopping, it may take us longer than a day or two to recover from a 30-hour walk.
Even if we avoid the extremes and compare a 30-minute walk to a one-hour walk, we might experience a similar set of outcomes. Recovery plays a vital role in the efficacy of exercise.
If you would like to know more about fitness or nutrition, you are in the right place. If you would like personalized one-on-one coaching, either comment below or click this link and schedule a strategy session with one of our fitness and nutrition coaches.
Want to know more about how to fat-adaptation strategies? Click this link and download our pdf version of The Ketogenic Advantage Blueprint here.
None of the information you read on this site is meant to diagnose or treat any condition. If you have health issues, please educate yourself and consult your physician.