Here’s where things get tricky. While short-term inflammation is part of healthy adaptation, chronic, lingering inflammation is not. Some research has shown that intense or excessive training without enough recovery can elevate inflammatory markers in the body—and keep them there. Over time, this can:
- Increase your risk of injury
- Disrupt sleep and energy levels
- Impair performance
- Even lead to catabolism—the breakdown of muscle tissue, which is the opposite of what you want
If you’re constantly sore, exhausted, or struggling to make progress, your body might be stuck in a state of low-grade inflammation that never quite resolves.
