When a person is anemic, it means their blood doesn’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the rest of the body. This can make it challenging to exercise.
However, working out is often possible with anemia. Take these simple precautions to maintain your fitness routine when you’re living with anemia.
Start off slow. If you have anemia, exercising too intensely too soon might leave you feeling fatigued due to a lack of oxygen circulating through your body. Start your workouts slow and progressively increase the intensity over time. Stick to lower-intensity workouts, too, like a yoga class or a walk rather than a run or HIIT (high-intensity interval training) routine.
Take breaks often. Always listen to your body. If you feel tired, pause and assess whether you can continue. Also, only do what you can. Pushing yourself to your limit is not necessary. If you feel exhausted, sit down and catch your breath. Waiting it out might be the best option.
Shorten your workouts. Any amount of exercise is better than none. Experts recommend that most healthy adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of intense exercise each week. Getting closer to 300 minutes of moderate exercise or 150 minutes of strenuous activity on a weekly basis, however, provides even greater health benefits.
If long or intense workouts seem daunting, just try to sit less and move more. If you have anemia, you don’t have to spend a long time on exercise for it to benefit you. Shorter workouts, such as walking around the block or climbing stairs, add up and contribute to your weekly physical activity goal.
Timing is key. Work out when you feel the most energized. For some, this means moving in the morning. For others, a late-night gym session is ideal for peak performance. Sometimes this takes trial and error, but try to figure out when you feel most invigorated.
Talk to a healthcare provider. Be sure to talk to your primary care physician to ensure your workout routine is safe, and remember to always stick to the treatment plan already prescribed to you. Because there are both mild and extreme forms of anemia, you may have to change up your routine.
Exercising with anemia is possible as long you don’t overexert yourself. Listen to your body’s needs and act accordingly.
Sources: Mayo Clinic. Anemia. May 11, 2023. + 2
- Mayo Clinic. Anemia. May 11, 2023.
- Connes P, Machado R, Hue O, Reid H. Exercise limitation, exercise testing and exercise recommendations in sickle cell anemia. Clin Hemorheol Microcirc. 2011;49(1-4):151-63.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans 2nd Edition. 2018.
