Living with HIV means managing a complex immune system every day. One of the most important markers of health in this journey is the CD4+ T-cell count, which helps determine how well the body can fight off infections. Researchers looked at 15 different trials to see if resistance training—exercises like lifting weights or using bands—could make a difference.
While the study did not find that resistance training changed common markers of inflammation in the body, it did show a potential increase in CD4+ T-cell counts. Specifically, the data showed a mean difference of 124.2 cells per cubic millimeter for those who exercised. However, it is important to take this finding with a grain of caution.
The researchers noted that the evidence is sparse and the data was quite varied across the different studies. Because of these inconsistencies, the certainty of the T-cell count estimate is very low. While the results are encouraging, the current data is not yet enough to make firm claims about how much exercise will change a person's specific health outcomes.
