Exercise can provide both physical and mental benefits for people living with HIV, The Sacramento Bee reports (sacbee.com, 5/13).

According to the article, many HIV-positive people begin exercise regimens or endurance training in order to boost their immune systems and help fight off illness.

Studies have also shown that exercise can help manage symptoms of metabolic syndrome, which increases a person’s risk for heart disease and diabetes. It can also lead to improved circulation and nervous-system function in people living with HIV.

The article also reports on the psychological benefits of exercise.

“For me, the effects are more psychological than biochemical,” Bob Katz, a member of an HIV-positive cycling club in California, told The Sacramento Bee. “Having a sense of self-worth, feeling comfortable in your body, is something exercising will do.”