My body itches after exercise. Is it because fat is burning?

Have you ever had such an experience?

Go for a workout or a run on a whim

I didn't feel refreshed after exercise.

Instead, your whole body itches?

Thinking while scratching

"This is probably because I've been exercising for a long time and the fat is burning."

Is this really the case?

Let’s find out

What causes itching after exercise?

**(1) If you don’t exercise for too long, your blood circulation will be poor. **If you don’t exercise for a long time and then suddenly increase your exercise, your blood circulation will speed up, your body temperature will rise, and you will sweat more. Since your body has not exercised for a long time, your capillaries and pores will shrink. At this time, the blood flow suddenly increases the pressure on the capillaries, and the shrinkage of the pores cannot immediately discharge sweat, which will cause itching of the skin.

Image source: Photo Network

**(2) Dry skin causes itching. **People with dry skin have poor skin barrier function, which can cause itching when encountering external stimuli. When your skin is already dry and itchy, exercise speeds up blood circulation and body heat, which can also aggravate the itching of your skin.

**(3) Excretion of toxins and salt from the body. **When the human body exercises, the metabolism speeds up and toxins are excreted along with sweat. At the same time, salt that is irritating to the skin is also excreted along with sweat. These will irritate the skin and cause itching.

**(4) Cholinergic urticaria. **Some people sweat a lot after exercise and develop papules and itching. However, when the body temperature drops, the papules will gradually disappear on their own. This is likely cholinergic urticaria. During exercise, the body temperature rises, the cholinergic nerves release more acetylcholine, and the skin has an allergic reaction to this substance.

Image source: Xiamen Fifth Hospital

Does it mean that fat is being burned if the body itches after exercise?

Now let’s get back to the question that everyone is most concerned about: does the itchiness on the body after exercise mean that fat is being burned?

Judging from the duration of the itching, fat burning during exercise begins more than 10 minutes after exercise and reaches its peak in about half an hour, while the itching of cholinergic urticaria is intense a few minutes after exercise and subsides or disappears in 30-60 minutes. Obviously, the time of body itching and fat burning do not match.

A normal person burns about 20 grams of fat in half an hour of running. This amount of exercise can make your muscles warm and slightly sore, but not to the point of making your skin itchy.

So, there is no connection between itching after exercise and fat burning.

How to avoid itching after exercise?

**(1) Do a good warm-up exercise. **Before exercise, stretch your body appropriately to promote blood circulation. The amount of exercise should be controlled and not too much, and should be done gradually.

Image source: Photo Network

**(2) Pay attention to skin care. **People with dry skin must pay attention to skin care and keep the skin oily. People who like to exercise and have too dry skin are not suitable for taking a bath too often. Use body lotion after taking a bath after exercise, pay attention to moisturizing the skin, and take appropriate vitamins, such as vitamin A and E, to prevent dry skin.

**(3) Timely care after exercise. **If itching after exercise is confirmed to be cholinergic urticaria, it should be wiped dry in time after sweating, and oral antihistamines can make the symptoms disappear. Reasonable cooling after exercise, avoid excessive scratching to cause skin damage, and it is not recommended to take a hot bath immediately, etc. You can drink water to replenish body fluids in time. Cholinergic urticaria patients should do daily exercise, mainly light exercise to sweat slightly.

What should we pay attention to when doing winter sports?

**(1) Warm up thoroughly before exercise to avoid strains and sprains. **Due to the low temperature in winter, the elasticity of ligaments and the flexibility of joints are reduced, making it very easy to get sports injuries, such as muscle strains and joint sprains. Before winter exercise, you can warm up by jogging, calisthenics, using light equipment, etc., so that your body is warm and slightly sweaty before exercising; secondly, the amount of exercise should be increased from small to large, so that the body can adapt before increasing the amount of exercise.

Image source: Photo Network

**(2) Avoid exercising in the morning and evening in winter to avoid catching a cold. **Try to exercise in the sun when it is sunny, especially for people with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Exercise should be done during the day when there is plenty of sunlight to avoid the cold in the morning and evening that may induce illness. Gentle Tai Chi, Ba Duan Jin, walking, and jogging are recommended for winter exercise. Avoid strenuous exercise. Put on clothes in time after exercise to avoid catching a cold.

Image source: Photo Network

**(3) When exercising indoors, pay attention to ventilation to prevent dizziness and hypoxia. **In winter, people are used to closing windows to avoid the cold. However, exercising in an environment with poor air circulation can easily cause dizziness, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, etc. When a person is at rest, he or she exhales about 20 liters of carbon dioxide per hour. Therefore, when exercising indoors, be sure to keep the air circulating.

Source: Science Popularization China, Xiamen Fifth Hospital

CCTV Life Circle, Shanghai Tianlun Hospital Official Weibo

Editor: Guru