This clinical study conducted at the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Houston indicates that Wellmune® may enable both recreational and elite athletes to exercise longer and harder with less risk of immune system suppression that normally follows high-intensity exercise.

The effectiveness of the immune system drops sharply below its normal state two to six hours after strenuous exercise and then gradually recovers within 24 hours. “During this ‘open window’ period, the athlete is more susceptible to infection, which may result in lost training time as well as missed work or school,” said Brian McFarlin, Ph.D., FACSM, Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology, Nutrition, and Immunology.

Study participants also had higher levels of key cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5 and IFN gamma) following Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation when taking Wellmune®. LPS is derived from gram-negative bacteria and used to mimic a foreign challenge to stimulate an immune response.

“The effect of Wellmune® on LPS-stimulated IL-4 and IL-5 production suggests that leukocytes were primed for higher plasma cytokines that directly mediate innate and humoral dependent immune responses” said Dr. McFarlin. “Our lab has tested numerous compounds but Wellmune® is the first to prevent alterations in monocyte and key cytokines following high intensity exercise.”