Attenuation of Natural Killer T-Cells with Cystine and Theanine
Men who perform resistance training 3 times a week for at least 6 months tend to have lower T-helper cell counts than non–resistance trained men. In addition, the natural killer (NK) cell count, an index of innate immunity, has been shown to decrease below the resting value after submaximal resistance exercise in both resistance-trained and non–resistance-trained men. It is a common hypothesis that resistance training impairs the immune system rather than enhancing its functions. This study examined the affects of cystine and theanine on NK cells, inflammation and immunity. By Shigeo Kawada, Kando Kobyahi, Masaru Ohtani and Chiho Fukusaki, published in J of Strength and Conditioning Research, Vol. 24, No. 3