When Exercise Can Be More Harmful Than Helpful

Regular exercising is one of the healthiest things a person can do for their body. Exercise burns fat, thwarts infectious disease, reduces the risk of cancer, boost immunity, and increases metabolic rates for future fat burning.

However, too much of it can have negative effects.

The body gets more benefits exercising more intensely for 30 to 60-minutes daily, than it does when you push that time beyond 60-minutes.  

Running or cross-training for half-an-hour to 60-minutes, several times a week, helps to increase the circulation of immune cells.

On-the-other hand, intense workouts lasting 90-minutes or longer can suppress the immune system.

According to Health & Weight-Loss Breakthroughs (2009) Maximum Immunity Vol. 2 (pg. 63), “Surveys of hundreds of finishers in the Los Angeles Marathon and the Western States 100 Mile show that an unusually high percentage of runners became ill within 2-weeks of their events-one in seven runners after Los Angeles, one in four after the Western States race.”

In addition, test studies have also proven that:

• Over 90-minutes of intense exercise raises the production of the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine.
• Both cortisol and epinephrine suppresses T cell and NK cell functions, and they trigger cytokines, monocytes, and neutrophils; which are present in cases of severe inflammation.
• When the production of T cells decline, to the levels of those following an intense 90+ minute exercise session, the ability of macrophages to ingest invading germs and to stimulate B-cell production (which produce antibodies and killer T-cells) becomes hindered.

In general, it is okay to work out for longer than 90-minutes on occasion. But for long-term immune health; try to keep your intense training between 30 and 60 minutes- 5 to 7 days a week.

Your immune system will thank you for it!