Getting sick

snedden9485

Since starting to train hard and get fit, i seem to be getting sick a lot more often. I seem to be picking up the common cold much more often (eg about every 6 weeks / 2 months). I have never been a person that gets overly sick, but i seem to cop it pretty often now. I eat very healthy, however i work shiftwork. I train hard, so im guessing its because i a little run down. I have seen the doctor and had a blood test done for long term illnesses (eptein barr, glangela fever) which came back negative.

So my point is, is this common ie Does getting fit allow you to be succeptible to illness or am i just having a bad run?

Kléber

An old trick is to dress warm and avoid chills. Don't dress to light for cycling and as soon as you're off the bike, don't linger in damp clothing. Avoid air conditioning or open windows in the car. Wear an extra layer at times. This is all old-skool but was, indeed still is, a common practice for pro riders today.

Anonymous

I eat healthily, work shifts and train but had the same issues as you, so I started having those 1000mg effervescent Vitamin C tablets in a pint of water when I wake up together with multi-vitamins (Tesco Multivitamins for Mend) and Omega complex upon recommendation of a couple of people I know who never got colds.

I don't know if it's been coincidence or what as the body gets rid of excess vitamins and minerals but I haven't felt run down since...

bobtbuilder

Does getting fit allow you to be succeptible to illness or am i just having a bad run?

I have suffered the same problems. As soon as I ramp up my training I become susceptible to colds / illnesses. I have started taking multi-vitamin tablets, and (touch wood) so far I haven't got sick.

tomcooper

I work shifts too and have been especially busy over the last 3 weeks or so (feel like I've had NO time to do anything that I want to do-except cycling of course!) and after a run of nights I have gone down with a cold... I remember reading somewhere that the more excercise you do the more suceptable to illness you do become. Will try the vit C thing. Also, my Ma swears by echinacea twice a day for staying healthy.

CHRISNOIR

Another vote for multi-vitamins. Since I started taking a Berocca every day I've been ok and I was always getting colds previously. Although I tend to find that when I miss a few rides that's when a cold strikes!

boneyjoe

Make sure you have some rest days and weeks every now and again. Last year, felt constantly rundown, picking up colds flues etc all the time. Turns out had a bad tooth, since having it fixed have felt great!

camerone

I had the same a couple of years ago, when i was training lots and got my weight right down. I put abit of weight on and no more colds, maybe a coincidence but i think i was below my 'fighting weight'.

SunWuKong

I found glutame as well as vit's helps.

Although I wne tofor a run Monday lunchtime got caught in a storm, absolutely drenched through and now have a respiratory infection. Gutted.

Cartesian Centaur

I would definitely recommend echinacea for when you start feeling run down and like you might be starting a cold - you can't take it constantly but I find it a big help to take it when I feel a cold coming on, or when loads of people around me are sniffling and sneezing.

And obviously think about dialling it down for a bit, as you might be pushing yourself a bit too hard.

vorsprung

After exercising, in the magic 15 minutes when your muscles want to absorb glycogen quickly, use a high carb energy drink such as 50g of maltodextrine in 1/2 a litre of water

I believe the idea behind this is that if you have plenty of glycogen in your system your body can respond better to immune events such as fighting an incoming virus.

Gav888

I seem to be getting colds every 6 - 8 weeks since I started riding in Jan, nothing before that for about 6 months...

Ive been taking a multi vit and minerals daily for years along with omega 3 and cod liver oil tablets, none of which help. It seems for me anyway that training leaves me open to more colds.

I will give the high carb drink a go post workout as I normally just have a protein drink.

georgio15

make sure you are eating enough. sounds obvious but that is the problem i had. didn't need all the supplements. just ate more. when you start to train harder, you are going to burn more calories. if you aren't consuming enough, then your body will neglect your immune system and use all its energy on keeping your legs working.

sandbag

intense exercise certainly weakens the immune system. also exercising while ill will make you worse as more stress on the already weakened immune system. stress and bad diet weakens it. nutrients that help are zinc,vitamin abc, amino acids