--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Everything in physiology follows the rule…" description: "\"“Everything in physiology follows the rule that too much can be as bad as too little. There are optimal points of allostatic balance. For example, whil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_fitness_everything-in-physiology-follows-the-rul_3049356.jpg" --- # Everything in physiology follows the rule that too much… ![“Everything in physiology follows the rule that too much can be as bad as too little. There are optimal points of allostatic balance. For example, while a moderate amount of exercise generally increases bone mass, thirty-year-old athletes who run 40 to 50 miles a week can wind up with decalcified…” quote by Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_fitness_everything-in-physiology-follows-the-rul_3049356.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_fitness_everything-in-physiology-follows-the-rul_3049356.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3ae/robert-m-sapolsky-1166_fitness_everything-in-physiology-follows-the-rul_3049356.jpg) > ““Everything in physiology follows the rule that too much can be as bad as too little. There are optimal points of allostatic balance. For example, while a moderate amount of exercise generally increases bone mass, thirty-year-old athletes who run 40 to 50 miles a week can wind up with decalcified bones, decreased bone mass, increased risk of stress fractures and scoliosis (sideways curvature of the spine)—their skeletons look like those of seventy-year-olds. To put exercise in perspective, imagine this: sit with a group of hunter-gatherers from the African grasslands and explain to them that in our world we have so much food and so much free time that some of us run 26 miles in a day, simply for the sheer pleasure of it. They are likely to say, “Are you crazy? That’s stressful.” Throughout hominid history, if you’re running 26 miles in a day, you’re either very intent on eating someone or someone’s very intent on eating you.”” [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Too much of anything, even good exercise, can be harmful; balance is essential **In simple terms:** Excessive exercise can damage bones Key Takeaway Seek balanced exercise routines Themes biology balance exercise Mood analytical cautious Type educational advice When to use this quote - Fitness training - health counseling Key Concepts Allostatic load bone health moderation Questions to Reflect On - How do you determine your optimal exercise level? - What signs indicate you’re over‑training? A Different Perspective May neglect individual variability ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fitness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fitness/) [Free time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-time/) ## Related quotes > [Forget not that the man who cannot enjoy his own natural gifts in silence, and find his reward in the exercise of them, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/forget-not-that-the-man-who-cannot-enjoy-his-own-natural-gifts-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Studies have shown that supplementing elderly patients and postmenopausal women with protein increases bone density, reduces bone loss on x-ray, and improves clinical symptoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-e-champ/studies-have-shown-that-supplementing-elderly-patients-and/) [Colin E. Champ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-e-champ/) > [Osteoporosis is a disease that attacks the bones in your body. 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Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“No brain region is an island, and the formation of circuits connecting far-flung brain regions is crucial—how else can the frontal cortex use its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/no-brain-region-is-an-island-and-the-formation-of-circuits-connecting/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [“We process emotionally salient information more rapidly and automatically, but with less accuracy. Frontal function—working memory, impulse control, executive decision making, risk assessment, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/we-process-emotionally-salient-information-more-rapidly-and/) [Robert M. 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Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) > [It's probably even the case that if you stoked up some Buddhist monks with tons of testosterone, they'd become wildly competitive as to who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-sapolsky/it-s-probably-even-the-case-that-if-you-stoked-up-some-buddhist-monks/) [Robert M. Sapolsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) [Explore all 280 Robert M. Sapolsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-sapolsky/) ## More Fitness quotes > [I train my muscles, and I do a lot of stretching, and try to kick higher. 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