Nelson, In a recent response to the question "Is exercise bad for me?" you stated that working out over an hour was too much exercise. I'm 44 y/o, diagnosed in 1989 and have never had a t-cell count greater than 250 or an undetectable viral load. I consider myself to be in good health and I participate in Olympic distance triathlons and cycling brevets of greater than 400KM. What are your thoughts on how this might affect my immune function. By the way, in the eight years at my current job I have only had one sick day. Thanks.

Wow, you have energy :)

All we know is some evidence of data from observational studies that show increased upper respiratory illness in long distance runners. I say moderation is key in nutrition and exercise. Going way overboard can increase cortisone and inflammatory cytokine production that may affect immune function and decrease lean body mass. Some of us may also experience increased lipoatrophy with excessive exercise (not an issue if you not suffer from this problem at baseline)

I am not telling you that you should stop. In fact, enjoy your great life and your love for your sport. Just keep an eye on over exhaustion, weight loss, dehydration, joint problems, back problems, and frequent colds/sinus problems. If you are healthy as a horse and none of these are present in your life even after 400 kilometer runs, then more power to you!

Nelson