The Affect Allergies & Asthma Have on Athletic Performance
by Melinda Burris Willms
It’s the time of year when everything is in bloom and for many people around the world that means allergy season is with us once again. While allergies and asthma are common ailments, as this article explains, both conditions present special challenges for athletes who depend on their bodies to deliver optimal performance come competition time.
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Seasonal and perennial allergies are a frequent complaint among all age groups across the globe—between 20-40 million Americans each year are afflicted with allergic disease to some degree. In addition, approximately 15 million individuals living in this country have a confirmed diagnosis of asthma and the frequency of diagnoses is climbing.1
Why Athletes are Especially Affected by Allergy Symptoms
Allergy symptoms are a misery for everyone who suffers with them, but for athletes who depend on their bodies being in peak condition, these symptoms can be debilitating to their ability to compete. In addition, athletes are particularly prone to increased allergic symptoms simply because when you exercise, you naturally take in more air. Pollen and other common allergens are airborne, which means the more we breath in, the more allergy inducing substances we inhale and the more symptoms we experience as a result. Common allergy symptoms include burdened breathing, nasal congestion, tiredness, changes in mood, extremely itchy skin, and conjunctivitis, (commonly known as pink eye). All of these symptoms can range from annoying to severe and can impinge on the quality of athletic performance to varying degrees.1
Asthma and Endurance Sports
Asthma is a chronic disease marked by inflammation of the bronchi in the lungs. Because asthma restricts the airway flow, it presents a particular challenge for athletes competing in endurance competition such as hurdles, sprints, and other track events. The difficulty in getting adequate air intake obviously makes it tough for the player with asthma to perform optimally during competition, but the symptoms of the disease, specifically labored breathing and coughing, may interrupt overnight sleep and with it, the crucial muscle repair process.3 Allergies also have a significant impact on endurance sports, where sprinting is involved and “require[s] nasal breathing for the best performance. A change in the breathing pattern may affect the outcome.”4 With the nasal blockage and drainage characteristic of allergies, even the best trained athlete is at a distinct disadvantage.
Exercise-induced Asthma
Exercise-induced asthma is prompted by physical activity. Often, people with this form of asthma don’t even realize they have the condition. Telltale signs of exercise-induced asthma are coughing while doing warmups and cooldowns or feeling breathless when breathing in air that’s contaminated or cold.2
Why Allergies and Exercise-Induced Asthma are So Difficult to Diagnose
As common as allergies and exercise-induced asthma are, the conditions can be hard to accurately diagnose. As Dr. Eric Heiden, a former speed skater and winner of five Olympic gold medals explains, patients with these diseases often do not exhibit discernable symptoms for an extended period of time, even years. Allergies are particularly hard to successfully pinpoint and treat when they are seasonal and the patient sees their physician during a time of the year when the allergen that causes respiratory distress is not then active.2 Or in the case of an individual who suffers from exercise-induced asthma, unless the patient is a professional athlete on a team with a sports medicine physician, a medical professional is only likely to witness and properly diagnose the condition if the patient happens to be doing a stress test or some other diagnostic testing that requires physical exertion not normally required during a medical examination.
How to Manage Exercise-induced Asthma
The condition can be managed by being vigilant in avoiding certain situations that are known to trigger exercise-induced asthma:
- Stay hydrated as dehydration is known to be a major trigger for the disease.
- Take your time before beginning your training sessions, particularly when working out in climates that aggravate your condition, this could include air that is overly cold, dry or heavily polluted, depending on the allergens you are sensitive to. Extended warmup periods will allow your heart, lungs, and muscles the time they need to fully ready themselves for a full workout, placing less pressure on your respiratory system.2
If you have exercise-induced asthma, the key to getting the most out of your body is pacing yourself. As Dr. Heiden points out, “At present there is no cure for asthma, but you can increase your threshold.”2
How to Manage Allergies
A variety of medications are available to manage allergy symptoms, although as is the case with exercise-induced asthma, there is no cure for allergies. Benadryl and other over the counter drugs deliver effective treatment for the symptoms of allergies temporarily, but these medications must be re-administered often. Those with severe allergies sometimes require treatment with allergy shots. These are prescribed by a physician and given over time to alleviate symptoms and prevent attacks. In extreme cases, rescue medications are available. 2
Special Considerations When Treating Athletes
When treating athletes for allergies or asthma, two considerations have to be kept in mind: medications taken for treatment cannot violate antidoping protocols and they cannot have side effects such as drowsiness that impair performance.4 Stress and anxiety and known to make any medical condition worse. Researchers acknowledge that athletes involved in competitive sports are under stress as a matter of course from the nature of contests and the press coverage sporting events garner.4 Professionals recommend this circumstance be taken into consideration when treating competitive athletes.
Conclusion
If you have allergies or asthma, remember, the key is to manage your condition so you can still deliver your best performance when it’s time to compete. Take the time to do your warmups and cooldowns properly and stay hydrated. If you haven’t been diagnosed but you find yourself coughing, getting winded or experiencing any of the other symptoms associated with allergies or asthma, see your physician.
References
- Komarow, H.D. and Postolache, T.T. (2005). Seasonal allergy and seasonal decrements in athletic performance. Clinical Sports Medicine.
2. Heiden, E. (2010, June 6). Heiden: Poor Performance, Fatigue May Signal Allergies or Asthma. SeatttleTimes.com.
3. Asthma & Allergy Associates. (2014, Sept. 8). Athletes with Allergies or Asthma—How to Stay on Top of Your Game.
4. Keles, N. (2002). Treating Allergic Rhinitis in the Athlete.
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