DeKALB | Marissa Fenwick works out every other day, except when she’s sick.

The junior math education major said she used to work out when she was sick, but found it made her feel worse and more exhausted.

“Any time I even have a little cold, I don’t want to work out because I don’t want to make it worse,” Fenwick said.

Freshman finance major Adam Larsen, who works out at the Campus Recreation Center about five days a week, said he would avoid the gym if he was sick, though he might work out if he had a head cold, he said.

“You would probably get other people sick, and it’s not worth it,” Larsen said.

Junior nursing major Stefanie Woodfall said she works out every day to keep her immune system strong and to combat asthma.

“The second people get sick, they think it’s a good excuse not to work out,” Woodfall said. “Working out helps your immune system as long as you don’t overdo it.”

Woodfall said walking would probably be the best exercise to do when sick with a cold or another minor illness.

Bethany Bohlig, a Recreation Services fitness graduate assistant and exercise physiology major, said it’s best to go by how you feel. If you have a cold or sinus sickness, you should be okay to work out, but slightly decreasing the intensity of your workout is a good idea, she said.

“If you are only suffering from a head cold, light physical activity can actually clear up some of the congestion,” Bohlig said. “But if you have a fever or stomach problems [or worse], your body needs rest in order to recover.”

If you are ill, high-intensity exercises such as running or weightlifting may actually be harmful to your health and may make symptoms worse, Bohlig said.

Exercise helps keep the immune system strong so your body can ward off infections, Bohlig said. However, exercising too much can have the opposite effect and can actually break down your body’s defensive mechanisms. This may lead to sickness if you are exposed to infection.