Exercising Can Be Dangerous If You Take These Medications

When you're under the weather, you can be forgiven if you decide to take a few days off from exercising. However, if you just can't keep yourself from hitting the gym, you should be aware of the effects your cold medication may be having. According to UCI Health, medications such as Sudafed and Afrin can affect your blood vessels and make it more difficult for your body to regulate heat and keep cool. 

Additionally, nasal decongestants that contain pseudoephedrine could raise your blood pressure, according to Harvard Medical School. Use of this drug has been linked to heart attacks, strokes, and disruptions in the heart rhythm. ACE Fitness notes that this increase in blood pressure, as well as heart rate, can make patients feel like they are working harder, thereby getting tired more quickly. In addition, for patients who may have a heart problem that they are unaware of, working out with a higher blood pressure and heart rate could trigger a cardiac event.  

For many patients who suffer from high cholesterol, statins are the preferred medication for keeping their numbers under control (via Cleveland Clinic). For some, statins have the ability to lower levels of LDL cholesterol by 50% or higher. In addition to those who struggle with high cholesterol, statins can be beneficial for people who suffer from artery disease or have had a stroke or a heart attack. 

One of the potential side effects of statins, however, is muscle pain, cramping, and soreness (via Healthline). This can make working out difficult for statin users, who can experience discomfort when doing certain exercises that can put pressure on the muscles. However, this doesn't mean that people who are taking statins need to refrain from exercise altogether. A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology revealed that people who are on statins can still engage in moderate exercise, such as walking, in order to help keep their LDL levels low. 

Stimulants such as Adderall are generally used to combat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to the Oxford Treatment Center. While Adderall has been shown to be effective in helping patients with ADHD pay better attention and raise their energy levels, it also has side effects such as jitteriness, headaches, and nausea. Working out while taking Adderall could cause these effects to increase. People taking these types of stimulants while exercising may also experience such issues as increased blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat, which could contribute to a heart attack or stroke. 

Experts at Windward Way report that there are some people who espouse the effects of low doses of Adderall during a workout, saying that it boosts clarity during workouts, enhances endurance, and improves cardio. However, they stress that, for whatever benefits one may experience from Adderall use prior to exercise, the side effects are far more serious. And, because there is the risk of developing a tolerance to the medication, people tend to increase their dosage in order to still feel its effects. This makes the possibility of experiencing potentially dangerous side effects far more likely.  

As evidenced by a 2010 study published in Drugs, there is a large amount of abuse that happens among laxative users, many of whom believe the medication will contribute to losing weight. According to the study, one of the groups that tends to misuse laxatives are athletes, especially athletes who participate in sports with weight limits. However, the notion that laxatives cause weight loss is a myth, per Health Match. Laxatives do not cause you to lose body fat; they cause you to shed water weight. This can lead to dehydration, which can cause such symptoms as excessive thirst, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue. All of these can impact your workout severely. 

Additionally, you could already experience stomach issues during training, which could only be compounded by the use of laxatives. A 2011 study published in the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology showed that athletes had much more bowel transit issues and looser stools than during periods of rest. If you are doing too much exercise too soon, your stomach could pay the price, a problem that could be exacerbated by laxative use. 

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin, commonly called cipro, are highly effective at combating the growth of bacteria in the body. However, they have been reported to cause tendinitis and even tendon rupture in some cases (via Health Works Collective). Although it isn't known exactly why these antibiotics could affect your tendons, it's possible that the drugs may destroy (or at least interfere with the body's ability to produce) collagen. Given that our tendons are largely made up of collagen, this could potentially be a problem for working out while taking cipro and similar antibiotics.  

According to a 2010 study on the dangers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, the biggest risk factors for developing tendinitis while on these medications include patients who have diabetes mellitus, a history of musculoskeletal disorders, or who are using corticosterioids in conjunction with these antibiotics. In addition, rupturing of the Achilles tendon was more prevalent in middle-aged individuals, with men being more at risk by a factor of two to one. If you're prescribed fluoroquinolone antibiotics, you should discuss the potential for tendinitis with your doctor, particularly if you fall into one of the high-risk categories.