It seems as though you can’t turn on your TV, surf the Internet, or read a magazine without coming across reminders that more Americans are overweight and leading sedentary lifestyles and the best way to combat this is to get out there and start exercising. Dr. Nathen Horst recommends an improved diet an exercise plan to his patients who are looking to get into better shape.

Obviously, if you are already getting plenty of exercise, you are well ahead of the game. However, there is a danger of over-exercising. You could actually end up injuring yourself or, worse, causing serious life-threatening health risks if you exercise too much.

What are some of these dangers, and how can you prevent them? Below are some of the findings from recent research studies that can help you be aware of some of the pitfalls of pushing yourself past your limits, particularly if you are going for endurance training.

Abnormal Heart Rhythms

We usually consider serious athletes to be at the peak of physical health, but in some cases, the opposite is true. If there is a history of heart murmurs or abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias) in your family, research has shown that serious cardio workouts can actually make these conditions worse.

This is particularly true for elite athletes, in which changes to the heart muscle structure was shown to cause arrhythmia at higher levels than for just those who do so for recreation. If you know that there is a history of arrhythmia or any other cardiac abnormalities in your family, you should discuss this with Dr. Horst as part of determining an exercise program that will help you meet your goals, without putting you at risk of a serious cardiac event.

Chronic Inflammation

If you were an athlete in high school or college, you may have had a coach who insisted that you just tough it out and keep on training, even though you felt like you were about ready to just fall over. In fact, research now shows that your coach may have actually been pushing you to a point at which, not only would you be sore and exhausted, but you could also develop chronic inflammation.

This could increase your risk for injury and lead to a number of other health issues. When you exercise particularly hard, your adrenal glands produce the hormone cortisol in response to both physical and emotional stress. Cortisol stimulates glucose production in the liver and the breakdown of protein in your muscles. This is fine, so long as you give your body adequate time to rest so your cortisol levels can return to normal. However, if you don’t do so, and those cortisol levels remain elevated, you run the risk of chronic inflammation, which can lead to a weakened immune system, as well as a greater risk of developing conditions such as diabetes and certain autoimmune conditions.

Rhabdomyolysis

Although rhabdomyolysis is not as common as some other problems from over-exercising, it has been seen among younger elite athletes who are engaged in extreme training. In this condition, the skeletal muscle literally destroys itself, most often as a result of extreme muscle strain from excessive reps of a new exercise or training too hard following a break of even just a few weeks. The damaged muscles and connective tissue releases the muscle protein myoglobin into the bloodstream at a high rate. This can then overwhelm the kidneys, causing them to shut down. In severe cases, you could find yourself hospitalized.

Regardless of your preferred form of exercise, the key to not overdoing things is to give your body time to rest and recover. Dr. Horst can help you map out an exercise routine that will get you to your fitness goals, but without the health dangers that can come from pushing yourself too hard.