Can Too Much Exercise Be Bad for Health?

Anyone who exercises knows that for most part, workouts make us feel great – it gets us energised, lifts our mood and enhances both our physical and mental wellbeing. While exercising can offer amazing health results, on the flip side, excessive exercising can adversely affect our health.

Is there such a thing as too much exercise? A recent study published in the journal ‘Mayo Clinic Proceedings’ suggests that there is. If you find yourself spending too many hours at the gym exercising vigorously daily or training harder than usual, you are then likely to experience the side effects of over exercising.

The symptoms of over exercising differ from individual to individual, depending on age, gender and physical health. Here is a list of the most common symptoms that may suggest you have crossed your workout limit

• Lethargy
• Aching body and muscles
• Poor workout performance
• Poor sleep or insomnia
• Loss of appetite
• Loss of libido
• Swelling of lymph glands
• Abnormal heart rate

According to CDC, adults should in general, get around 5 hours a week of moderate exercise or 2-and-a-half hours of intense physical activity, or a combination of both. Research shows that going way above and beyond can put you at various health risks as listed. 

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Extreme, long-term endurance exercise puts equally extreme demands on the cardiovascular system. The ‘Mayo Clinic Proceedings’ study revealed that fitness enthusiasts who exercise well above the recommended hours may actually be at higher risks of early heart disease due to coronary artery calcification (CAC): a build-up of calcium in the artery walls of the heart that makes arteries less flexible.

Overtraining can also lead to abnormal heart rhythms and an increased resting heart rate. If your resting heart rate is increased by more than five beats per minute, you are probably experiencing overtraining syndrome, according to research published in the ‘Journal of Athletic Training’.

Your gut is the centre of health for your entire body, and the lining of the gastrointestinal tract acts as a vital filter between our bodies and outside elements. A research from the Australian sports journal ‘Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics’, shows that intense physiological stress on the body such as lifting weights regularly, can trigger Leaky Gut Syndrome – a condition in which the gut lining weakens, resulting in the passage of germs and toxins into the bloodstream. This can lead to multiple sclerosis (MS), chronic fatigue, and many other illnesses.

In absence of consuming supplements like calcium or vitamin D, and with excessive exercising, your bones can become brittle, joints get sore and your cartilage weakens because of increased cortisol – a hormone released during periods of physical stress that triggers protein breakdown in muscles and inhibits bone-building. Women who naturally face calcium deficiency with age, are at greater risks of developing early on-set of osteoporosis and bone loss.

When you exercise excessively, your body also becomes more prone to injuries as you do not allow your body time to rest and heal. This can lead to muscle soreness, strained ligaments and tendons, and damaged body tissues.

Women are at particular risk for what is known as the “female athlete triad” that includes: loss of menstruation, bone mineral loss and eating disorders. These symptoms usually arise from a combination of over exercise and calorie restriction.

Excessive exercising also causes hormonal changes that can affect a woman’s fertility. According to a study published in Fertility and Sterility, women who exercised vigorously for five or more hours per week had a 42% harder time getting pregnant than those who exercised moderately.

It is widely believed that exercise improves mental health but researchers have revealed that too much physical activity could also have a negative impact. Excessive exercising can be a sign of obsessive behaviour. The psychological effects of over exercising can include sleep disturbance, fatigue, apathy, and depression.

If you think you have been binging on exercise and find your body displaying any of the symptoms, it is time to listen and take a break from your exercise routine. You can slow down your workout or limit your trainings but do give your body time to rest and heal.

The idea is not to quit exercising but to find ways to avoid overdoing it. Another option is to alternate your intense exercise days with lighter forms of exercise like yoga, swimming, bike riding or stretching. Also, do consult a professional trainer who can guide you and create a programme that does not over stress your body and compromise your health.

References

https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/prevention/policies_practices/physical_activity/guidelines.htm

https://www.businessinsider.my/what-over-exercise-does-body-brain-health-2018-4/?r=US&IR=T

https://www.livestrong.com/article/501988-the-side-effects-of-excessive-exercise/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/health-fitness/body/much-exercise-bad-gut-dangers-training/

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/too-much-exercise-is-bad-for-your-gut-health

https://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/overtraining-and-osteoporosis#1

https://www.boldsky.com/health/diet-fitness/2016/does-too-much-exercise-weaken-the-bone/article...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24126551

https://www.newsweek.com/too-much-exercise-depression-mental-health-1069172

The above articles are intended for informational purposes only. AIA accepts no responsibility for loss, which may arise from reliance on information contained in the articles.