5 Consequences Of Doing A Lot Of Physical Exercise

Exercising is very positive. In fact, it helps keep your body in shape, ward off worries and stress, combat depression, and also allows you to maintain a healthy weight or even reduce it. However, there are some consequences of getting too much exercise that we should be aware of.

When a habit that benefits our health is taken to an extreme, instead of doing us good, it can cause many problems. For that reason, next we’ll look at what can happen if a person gets a lot of physical exercise.

Possible consequences of exercising too much

We will describe below the possible consequences of a very intense or prolonged training or also a lack of exercise. To avoid them, try to train with awareness and listen to what your body is saying.

1. Joint wear

You would never have thought of that! It’s true that being sedentary is bad for the body, but if you exercise excessively, it can also damage your joints and bones. The reason is that when you exercise, your joints suffer, and while they can benefit from exercise, they can also be damaged if it’s excessive.

Thus, back or knee problems can result from wear and tear on the joints. They are nothing less than overuse injuries, described as a common consequence of overtraining in a study published in the journal.

2. Too much exercise can cause heart problems

We know that exercise helps our cardiovascular system. As explained by Dr. Macaya, president of the Spanish Heart Foundation, physical activity improves the structure of the heart and blood vessels. That’s why its practice is very positive, as it reduces the likelihood of suffering a heart attack and lowers bad cholesterol, among other benefits.

However, if we train 7 days a week intensely, instead of benefiting our heart, physical exercise can do the opposite. Overdone, exercise can cause heart rate changes.

On this subject, it is necessary to clarify that the study cited in the journal Sports Medicine indicates that the bibliography is not conclusive and more studies are still needed to understand this relationship and its causes. However, it is still a sign of caution that you should take into account.

3. Weakened immune system

Another consequence of getting a lot of exercise is that our immune system can weaken. Why don’t defenses stay high thanks to exercise? Because when we do it intensely and don’t give ourselves a break for the organism, we don’t get enough rest either.

Although rest seems like a waste of time for many people, the truth is that it is very necessary if we are to be in good health. If we don’t give our body a break so it can recover from exercise, defenses will decrease, as explained in this study published by Sports Medicine .

As a result, you run the risk of getting sick more often. Overtraining increases your chances of catching colds, flu and other viruses that force you to stop exercising and rest.

4. Amenorrhea, another consequence of getting a lot of exercise

In women, one of the consequences of exercising too much can be amenorrhea. This is nothing more than a missed period which may also be occurring due to a weakened immune system and perhaps some anemia.

The problem that women have when they do not menstruate is that their bones can be affected, according to research published in the Revista de Psicología Aplicada al Deporte y al Ejercicio Físico

These bone problems are something that often happens to women when they reach menopause. However, if they are not at the proper age for this, amenorrhea can cause this health problem.

5. Increased risk of injury

The risk of injury can increase considerably. Tiredness and mental fatigue resulting from falling defenses will leave you unable to perform the exercises correctly.

An exercise poorly performed or performed with incorrect technique can cause injury. Therefore, gym teachers are always on the alert for people to correctly perform the technique of each movement.

Too much exercise will not bring benefits

Few people push their bodies to the limit, without stopping to listen and give the necessary rest. Obsessing about losing weight or gaining the expected muscle mass in a very short period of time can lead to some of the above consequences. Remember, once again, that excess is bad.

If you want exercise to be beneficial, do it in moderation. Likewise, you should also listen to your body, which perhaps is asking for a break.