Regular exercise has been associated with alterations in the diversity and abundance of gut microbes. Studies indicate that individuals engaging in physical activity exhibit a more diverse and resilient gut microbiome compared to sedentary counterparts. <\/p>
On the flip side, negative gastro symptoms are common amongst those who exercise frequently, especially during training for an event and competing. These symptoms can range from abdominal pain and cramping, belching, bloating, nausea, heartburn, flatulence, urge to defecate, bowel movements, diarrhoea and vomiting (de Oliveira et al., 2014). There are some fun nicknames for extreme frequency or discomfort such as \u2018runners trot\u2019 or \u2018runners diarrhoea\u2019. The bottom line is that these symptoms can negatively impact performance and just make you feel uncomfortable.<\/p>
It\u2019s generally agreed that these types of symptoms are most common in runners, as the food gets shaken inside your intestines as you run. Read more about runner\u2019s nutrition here<\/strong><\/a>. Additionally, food or drinks used during exercise can cause irritation to your gut, such as consuming a drink that is too concentrated in carbohydrates. <\/p> Below are three common questions that I get from clients around exercise and the gut. <\/p> Here\u2019s 5 tips:<\/p> It may take some trial and error but you will be able to find what\u2019s best for you!<\/p> The number one thing to do is ensure that you have an adequate diet. This can vary from person to person based on age, body size, activity level and individual metabolism. Regular and intense exercise increases the requirements for a number of vitamins and minerals. <\/p> Although, consuming a good diet isn\u2019t enough. It\u2019s important to ensure that your gut is working well to extract the nutrients from the food consumed. Good gut health is needed to increase the bioavailability of nutrients from food consumed. This will also help to minimise the impacts of gastro-intestinal symptoms. Check out my 4 week gut health programme, called Power Up Your Gut<\/strong><\/a>, to improve your gut health. <\/p> The takeaway here is to ensure you have a nutritionally balanced diet and your gut is in optimum condition. <\/p> Intense exercise can put strain on the body, leading to lowered immunity due to the reduced effectiveness of immune cell functions (many of which have direct links to the gut). This results in higher levels of sickness. <\/p> A study carried out by researchers at the Australian Institute of Sport found that probiotic supplements can drastically reduce the length of illness for upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) in elite long distance runners (Cox et al., 2008). <\/p> This is attributed to there being higher levels of interferon (immune cells that fight viruses). Evidence indicates that the gut microbiota can either promote or suppress interferon signalling, depending on the specific virus and setting (Wirusanti et al., 2022). This suggests that having a healthy gut microbiota is key for producing higher levels of a type of immune cell that fights viruses. <\/p> Further, a review of randomised control trials (the gold standard for studies) concluded that probiotics are effective for preventing URTIs and reducing antibiotic use compared with placebo (Hao. et al., 2011). Antibiotics often play a negative role in gut health as they kill all the bacteria (good and bad). <\/p>How can I reduce these gastro symptoms during exercising?<\/h2>
How can I support my gut health when exercising frequently?\u00a0<\/h3>
When increasing my training, I find that I get sick more often. Why is this?\u00a0<\/h3>