So this topic is a big deal this time of year. Everyone seems to be sick and gyms pass colds around like candy on Halloween. The funny thing about exercise is, is that normal exercise is great for your body and can boost your immune system which can prevent some colds. Now the flip side of the coin is over-training can weaken your body and make you more prone to catching a cold. If your anything like me I usually ignore the smart advise of my wife when I’m sick and find a way to get into the gym just to suffer through my workouts. So I’m sure everyone knows this but I’ll state it anyway… “I AM NOT A DOCTOR.” If you are really sick call your doctor. Okay, now that that’s out of the way here’s the skinny.
Should I exercise with a cold?
The answer is…. probably not. It’s probably relatively safe, but it’s really not worth it and it’s really not cool to go spreading your cold to everyone else. Now for us athletes sometimes we can’t take time off from training. Competitions, fights, cutting weight are all reasons why sometimes we have to tough out those tough sick days of training just to try and maintain our edge. If you do have to work through your cold make sure you’re staying hydrated, taking vitamins and getting adequate rest. Your body is normally depleted of nutrients while being sick so do your best to replace the nutrition your body needs. If you do have respiratory problems and or asthma please consult your doctor before trying to train. Dying doesn’t sound like a good way to stay healthy.
Over-training can make you sick.
When your training too much or over-training your body may produce increased amounts of the stress hormone cortisol and in addition your white blood cells may decrease. These two side-affects of over-training may inhibit the ability of certain immune cells to work properly. Recovery and proper nutrition are the keys to maintaining a healthy immune system.
