Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Updated : June 18, 2015 9:53 AM IST
Many of us nowadays have become health conscious and spend hours working out at the gym -- running on the treadmill or lifting weights. While some might describe it as a healthy habit, a new study claims that it is extremely unhealthy and dangerous to exercise for more than four hours. The research conducted at the Monash University, Australia says that more than four hours of daily exercise can cause the intestinal bacteria to leak into the bloodstream leading to blood poisoning. Read: Extreme exercises could kill you!
How was the study conducted?
The experts monitored people participating in extreme endurance events like 24-hour marathons and multi-stage ultra-marathons that are run on consecutive days. They analysed the blood samples of participants before and after the events and compared them to a control group. Read: Exercising how much is too much?
What did the study find?
The study proved that exercising for a long period causes changes in the gut wall, and the allows the indigenous bacteria (endotoxins) in the gut to leak into the blood stream. On encountering these bacteria, the body's immune system produces an inflammatory response similar to the when the system encounter a serious infection. High levels of endotoxins in the blood can trigger an immune response stronger than the body can handle and at times it might also lead to sepsis. The sepsis can further induce a systemic inflammatory response syndrome that can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated quickly. Read: Is over-exercising bad for the heart?
However, the study also found that individuals who are fit, healthy and follow a training programme for extreme endurance events, develop immune mechanisms to counteract such an immune response without any side effects.
What does the study conclude?
People who take part in extreme endurance events with little training and heat should be extra careful as their bodies are put under enormous strain more than its capacity. The lead researcher of the study explained that over four hours of exercise and repetitive days of endurance exercise is considered extreme.
What are the precautions one should take while signing up for endurance events?
As participating in such endurance events is common nowadays, one should get a health check-up done first and opt for slow and steady training programmes instead of running a marathon with only a month's training.
Image source: Getty Images
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