Turns out, our health-minded community is on to something. Warm, moist environments are where bacteria really like to grow, says Dr. Pritish Tosh, M.D., infectious diseases physician at the Mayo Clinic. And if the gym isn't a warm, moist environment, we don't know what is. "There is certainly a potential for transmission of certain kinds of infections," he says.
To protect yourself from infection, its best to wipe the machine down right before you get on and make sure it is dry before you use it so assure all germy germs are dead.