It is said that sport is health, and in fact many studies show that various types of physical activity can protect the body against infections. But what if we already get sick — should we practice then?
- Regular physical activity can lower the risk of respiratory infections
- Older people who exercise regularly have noticed faster healing of wounds on the skin, which reduces the risk of viruses and bacteria entering the body
- Exercise during an infection can negatively affect the body’s immune response
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Regular exercise is good for our immune system. Research shows that they can lower the risk of respiratory infections, such as colds. Some also believe that playing sports when sick helps to “sweat” her. This, however, is not always true.
Movement is good for our immune system
Playing sports can benefit our immune system for at least several reasons. The first is the hormones released during exercise. They are specifically catecholamines, more commonly known as adrenaline and noradrenaline.
These hormones trigger the rapid release of immune cells that help detect the presence of viruses and other pathogens in the body. Research shows that exercise is one of the best ways to increase catecholamine levels in our body.
Physical activity also increases blood flow in our body. This, in turn, places a greater strain on the blood vessels, releasing natural killer cells and the latent T cells on the blood vessel walls, which play an important role in killing virus-infected cells.
Interestingly, it has also been observed that in the elderly who exercise regularly, skin wounds heal faster. Of course, this accelerated healing process reduces the risk of dangerous viruses and bacteria entering the body, preventing infections.
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Can you exercise during a cold?
Practicing sports by a healthy person brings numerous positive effects. However, it is not yet clear whether physical activity undertaken during an infection, such as a cold, has the same good effect on our body. To conduct such research, it would be necessary to contaminate a group of test persons with the virus, and this is ethically controversial, so there are still no fully clear answers on this matter.
It is certain, however, that a sick person who wants to take up physical activity during an infection should take into account several important factors. The first is that you stress your body during exercise. This is because when playing sports, the body needs more oxygen and stored energy (in the form of glucose), which is also needed to fight the virus.
In the case of their deficiencies, the body reacts under stress, which results in a lower ability of immune cells to react to pathogens. This situation can adversely affect the body’s immune response.
However, this does not necessarily imply a categorical resignation from physical activity during the course of the infection, in all cases. If your symptoms are mainly above the neck (such as a runny nose) then you may start exercising at a lower intensity than usual to see how your body is responding.
If a person feels good, he can gradually increase the load. However, if you don’t feel well, you should stop the activity immediately and let your body rest. Exercise is strictly not recommended for fever, muscle pain and vomiting.
Another aspect that a sick person should pay attention to is the safety of people around him. Since colds are contagious, when you get infected, it’s best to leave the gym and exercise in your own home or outdoors, avoiding contact with others.