The danger is if you exercise too hard and too much

Exercise does provide health benefits for the body. However, that doesn't mean you have to overdo it. In fact, exercising too hard can actually be a threat to health, you know! Check out the following explanation.

Exercise too hard to lower the immune system

Russian researchers have concluded that doing too much exercise reduces immune function. This is also supported by several studies over the last two decades which confirm that too much high-intensity exercise will hurt the immune system because it will deplete cellular and humoral immunity. This is often referred to as a term over-training opponents of moderate sports, aka sports with moderate intensity.

Ideally, when someone does light exercise, this will indeed increase the immune response. However, when the intensity of the exercise volume is greater, it causes a depressant effect, which makes the immune system decrease.

Under normal conditions, free radicals that are produced in low levels will neutralize the body and the antioxidant system. However if someone does over-training,it will actually trigger an increase in free radical production that exceeds the capacity of your cellular defense system. This allows free radicals to attack the cell membrane system, causing cells in the body to lose their viability - the ability of a cell to maintain and restore its condition, thereby increasing bone and muscle damage.

The relationship of exercise too hard with skin cancer

A recent article in the British Journal of Cancer reports that regular, moderate-intensity physical activity can indeed increase the immune response and play a role in the prevention of certain types of cancer, such as breast cancer and colon cancer.

On the contrary, excessive exercise such as ultramarathon will suppress immunity for several hours, a week, or even more, making it vulnerable to the risk of upper respiratory tract infections and even the possibility of cancer, especially skin cancer. This is because a recent study conducted by Austrian researchers found that marathon runners were more prone to developing abnormal skin moles and shoulder lesions than non-runners.

Based on these findings, the researchers advised runners to exercise when sun exposure was not too hot, wear adequate clothing, and regularly use waterproof sunscreen.

Does this mean that sports are strictly prohibited?

Of course not. Vigorous or high intensity exercise is harmless as long as it is not excessive (over-training). But the researchers say if you want to do vigorous intensity exercise, you have to make sure that the nutritional intake in the body is adequate. This is to replace the nutrients lost during exercise so as to prevent the immune system from decreasing.

Don't forget to eat foods that are high in protein, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and probiotics to speed up the recovery process due to fatigue after exercise.

What are the symptoms if you are experiencing over-training?

According to Dr. Neil F. Gordon, a researcher at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research, Dallas, Texas, some of the signs that indicate if you are experiencing over-training the consequences of exercising too hard are:

• Changes in sleep patterns, which are characterized by insomnia
• It takes longer than usual for minor wounds to heal such as when scratched
• Losing weight without cause even though you are not on a diet or doing strenuous physical activity
• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy / tiredness
• Loss of libido or interest in sex
• Muscle and joint pain
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Irregular menstrual cycle or even no longer menstruating
• Feeling excessive thirst at night

In conclusion, studies have shown that moderate intensity exercise is the best way to maintain a healthy body. While doing sports with heavy intensity without being balanced with good nutritional intake, this tends to trigger your health complications.

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