Regular physical activity is known to improve immunity. However, the latest research has shown that it is a very poor treatment in case you get sick, writes Time.
The results of research conducted by Ball University in Indiana showed that exercise has no effect on the body's recovery from a cold or flu.
"If you have a sore throat, stuffy nose or sinus problems, and you feel well enough to exercise, there's no harm in doing it," says Appalachian University professor David Nieman, MD.
"However, if you have the flu or some other form of systemic infection that causes your body temperature to rise, exercise is a very bad idea," adds Nieman, who has run 58 marathons himself.
Marijana Falman, professor at Wayne University, who studied the impact of exercise on the immune system of cross-country runners who had the flu, agrees with him.
"Your body then works extremely hard to fight off the infection. Since exercise is a form of physical stress, it means it has to work even harder to fully recover," says Falman.
Research by Australian scientists from the 1990s showed that the consequences can be serious. Scientists have discovered that some athletes, who continued to train even when they were sick, developed a form of chronic exhaustion that sometimes lasted for years.
"It was very painful to read about those cases. Although we still don't know what exactly happened in their bodies, we assume that the viruses spread through the body in some subclinical form and continued to attack the immune system, which is why people were constantly exhausted," he explained. is Niman.
Although no definitive conclusion has yet been reached, Nieman says that during the examination of numerous athletes, he found that they were weak and tired even when the infection cleared. Many took a long time to get back into shape.
Niman advises everyone who exercises to take a break of at least a week after the temperature drops before resuming physical activity.
"It's basically similar to when you break your arm or sprain your ankle. It takes a while for the body to heal," he concluded.
Bonus video:
