SWEAT IT OUT? SERIOUSLY?

April 2, 2009

There is a common misconception about working out while one is sick. I’ve often heard clients say they feel better after exercising when sick, and some trainers even tell their clients to “sweat it out” thinking that exercise is somehow helping the body fight off the sickness.
Sad to say that these trainers are wrong, but the exact opposite of this is actually true.

Exercise does elevate body temperature and sweat does release some toxins, but neither plays a big enough role in fighting off a virus or infection to undertake at the expense of a weakened immune system.

A consistent exercise program will actually boost a healthy person’s immune system capabilities in the long run, but stressing the body by exercising while a person is sick can temporarily weaken them. One thing many trainers forget is that when breaking down muscle tissue during a workout the body actually utilizes it’s immune system as part of the rebuilding process. This along with other factors actually creates a small window (the amount of time is directly related to the severity of muscle damage and energy expenditure resulting from the intensity, and duration, of the workout) where the immune system is actually at a weakened, and in a sense “pre-occupied”, state. This makes the client more susceptible to viruses and in many cases infections.

Some of you may ask the question “so why do I feel better after I workout when I’m sick?”
The symptoms you are feeling when you get aches and pains and coughing spurts due to things such as the common cold is your body’s own reaction to the bug present in your system. Once you have weakened your immune system by placing physical stress on your body through exercise, you impair your immune system’s ability to respond to the virus or infection. This does lead to less coughing and aching, but only temporarily.

Most people will almost assuredly “crash” a few hours later. The reason being is that their immune system has gained its strength back and is once again able to respond, but by this point that same bug has spent the last few hours growing and becoming stronger, therefore the person’s body responds with worsened symptoms.

So next time you feel yourself becoming sick, STOP! Take a few days off so that you don’t needlessly prolong your sickness. Rest, recover, and come back with a renewed sense of vitality and enthusiasm.