All about endurance training

Can You Get Too Much of a Good Thing?

Yes, you can! Exercising excessively or overtraining can tax your immune and gastrointestinal systems, your heart, kidneys and, of course, joints and muscle tissue, to the point of causing disease and damage — not preventing it.

Exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome can cause both acute and chronic gut issues by triggering leaky gut. That allows endotoxins to pass from your bowels into your bloodstream. You end up with cramping, nausea, malabsorption of nutrients and problems with bowel movements.

Researchers found that working out for more than two hours at more than 60 percent of your capacity seems to trigger the syndrome in folks, regardless of how fit they are. The good news is that most of the time, scaling back helps restore gut integrity. Are YOU Overtraining? Your body will let you know if you’re overdoing it. Here are two sure signs:

— You’re not sleeping well, are lethargic and irritable during the day.

— Your workouts are delivering diminishing returns. In other words, you’re getting slower and don’t feel like working out.

If that’s you, stop training, see your doc and have your gastrointestinal system, heart and kidneys checked out.

Becoming a Smart — Healthy — Exerciser

After you’ve recovered, we suggest that you limit your workouts to 120 minutes for four and days a week, or 60 minutes a day for five days. Make sure you stay well-hydrated, avoid extreme temperatures, stop when you’re tired and take breaks during your routines.

If you enjoy well-regulated exercise, you’ll gain cardiorespiratory fitness, reduce your risk for coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Remember, exercise is a pleasure, not a punishment, so enjoy!

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.