Get Well Soon

Running Through—or After—Illness

Beta-blockers (Inderal, Tenormin, Lopressor). These medications, which essentially act on the heart as governors do on a car engine, are "a definite no-no for any runner," says Dr. Santoro. These drugs protect the heart and lower blood pressure by slowing the heart rate, but also prevent it from increasing even during activity.

Other blood-pressure medications (Cardizem, Adalat, Capoten, Vasotec). These, says Santoro, should not cause problems: "Hypertension is generally not a reason to stop running—in fact, running is beneficial to people with high blood pressure." Such drugs are often combined with diuretics (Lasix, Hydrodiuril); Santoro urges caution in such cases, noting that diuretics can affect electrolyte balance (sodium, potassium, chloride), thereby impacting heart and muscle function.

Addendum

After publication of this article, we received the following letter from a reader, which others may find useful:

Depressing Side Effects

I am writing in response to Kevin Beck’s September 2001 Sports Medicine column, "Get Well Soon." Kevin provided some thoughts from Dr. William Santoro on a variety of illnesses and their treatments. Regarding antidepressant medications, Dr. Santoro "knows of no problems antidepressants can cause."

I am not a physician. I have, however, been a distance runner for more than twenty years, and have struggled with depression for at least that long. During this time, I took a variety of antidepressant medications (Prozac, Effexor, Paxil, Wellbutrin and others) for 2-3 years, total. The side effects of these medications were debilitating in many ways, with three in particular affecting my running.

First, these medications often suppress one’s appetite, thus leading to weight loss. For someone running moderate to high mileage who is already low in body fat, a relatively small loss of weight and the loss of physical strength that goes with it can be a serious problem.

Second, running a hard effort, such as a 5-10K race or hard intervals, often caused the rapid onset of extreme headaches and dizziness immediately at the conclusion of the effort.

Third, while I was taking antidepressants, I became very clumsy and uncoordinated. I seemed to lose a sense of my body’s movements or spatial relations, even something as simple as where my feet were in relation to the ground. For no external reason, I would stumble and sometimes fall. I had to concentrate very hard on the simple physical act of running, although such concentration did not really solve the problem.

Antidepressants are powerful medications that help many people. The side effects, however, are still serious and can be terrible for many people who take these medications to treat a problem that already is overwhelming. For any athlete who considers taking antidepressants, it is crucial to work with a physician who is willing to evaluate your health in general and committed to exercise as part of the treatment.

     --Name withheld upon request