Allergy Medication Killing Your Gains?
Yes, you read the title correctly. Your over-the-counter allergy medication could actually be diminishing your potential muscle gains. Now don’t read this and say “I don’t care how bad I feel, I’m not taking any allergy medication.” That’s not what this article is all about, nor does it make sense if you’re suffering from the nasty symptoms associated with seasonal allergies. However, be aware that OTC medications like Allegra may impede your recovery after a workout if you don’t follow the directions on the packaging.
Is allergy medication hurting your muscle growth?
Spring and Summer seem to bring out the worst in people with allergies. Allergy sufferers fight back a runny nose or congestion, watery eyes, and sneezing with the changing of seasons. Things end up getting so bad that we can’t help but reach for a bottle of pills to combat the symptoms long enough for us to have a productive day and get a good night’s sleep —let alone breathe normally without feeling like your head might explode each time you sneeze. The same allergy medication (antihistamine) can actually have a negative effect on those individuals who exercise regularly if the medication is abused.
A study by the University of Oregon found that giving subjects an OTC allergy medication (antihistamines such as Allegra around an hour before a resistance training workout reduced the body’s recovery response post workout by around 27%.
They mentioned that on average, after a workout, that around 3,000 genes go to work to help boost blood flow to the muscles which in turn aids in the overall muscle recovery process. By limiting the recovery response due to the antihistamine, it decreases muscle-protein synthesis resulting in the muscle fibers not properly being given the nutrients they need to fully recover. What does this mean for continued use of the antihistamine to combat the effects of allergies? Fewer muscle gains.
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