Carine Smith, Kathy Myburgh Because of the ever-increasing high standards set in the sporting world today, athletes have to keep increasing their training efforts in order to excel at their chosen sport. This increased stress to the body (both physical and psychological) may affect many aspects of the normal functioning of the body, including the immune system. Based on epidemiological data (reviewed in Calabrese et al. 1996 and Nieman 1998) , it seems that while moderate exercise may serve as a booster to the immune system, excessive exercise may result in an increased risk to the athlete of...