Final answer:
Yes, excessive exercise can be harmful. It can result in overuse injuries, heart problems, menstrual disruptions in females, and muscle fatigue due to depleted energy reserves like ATP and lactic acid buildup. Proper rest and balanced training are critical to avoid these health risks.
Step-by-step explanation:
Excessive exercise can indeed be harmful to the body. Performing high amounts of training with excessive frequency, volume, or intensity can result in a variety of health issues. Athletes who engage in intense training without adequate rest may experience symptoms like extreme fatigue, muscle cramps, and spasms, much like Jasmin from the case study. In severe cases, there can be scarring of the heart, heart rhythm abnormalities, and increased risk of injuries to the muscles and joints. Women may experience amenorrhea due to overtraining.
There are also risks associated with improper resistance training, such as overuse injuries and cellular damage to muscle fibers. This type of damage often leads to soreness post-exercise and, although muscles can repair and gain mass, consistent overexertion can result in tendon and skeletal damage. It's crucial for the load to be manageable and for muscles to have sufficient time to recover between workouts.
Muscle fatigue occurs when muscles can no longer contract effectively, which can happen due to reduced ATP reserves, lactic acid buildup, or electrolyte imbalances. Long-duration exercises might damage muscle structures like the sarcolemma and sarcoplasmic reticulum, impairing calcium regulation vital for muscle contractions.