Runner’s gut refers to upset to the digestive system during exercise, usually through longer, more intense periods of exercise.This condition usually shows itself through: urgency to go to the toilet during exercise, extreme stomach cramps, nausea, reflux, bloating.Research is still undergoing for the condition and there is still no exact known reason as to why it can occur. Factors that can influence it are seen to include; certain foods upsetting the gut microbiome, fluid intake, nutritional factors, intensity of exercise.
Running is found to be one of the most strenuous forms of exercise on the GI tract, with the prevalence of GI symptoms seen to exceed 80% in studies.
The reasoning for this:
•Blood flow gets redistributed away from the GI tract to provide for the working muscles and thermoregulation of the body.
•There is a decreased ability to absorb nutrients during running due to the release of stress hormones, altering gut motility.
These two factors lead to inflammation of the GI tract which gives the symptoms for ‘Runners Gut’. Nutrition plays an important role in managing the condition; however it is different for all people and needs to be worked upon on a trial and error basis finding what works for you. Key foods found to increase runners gut include: caffeinated drinks, high fibre foods and dairy.Some tips to take away if you are struggling with this issue:
Trial gels before your run. Intake a small amount on a normal day, see if it affects you. Then try a on a training run a few times before intake on a race day.
Use the toilet at the very last moment before running.
Watch the volume of food you are consuming before your run. Intake a smaller amount to fuel you well, but to be digested before you run. Try out timings before racing.
Trial and error meals too! See what works for you and play around with things during light training weeks in order to see what works and what does not.
Reduce fibre intake. Fibre will push food down so try and avoid this for your pre run fuel.
Hydrate! Important for any exercise but ensure you have hydrated throughout the day prior to your run. Dehydration can cause stomach upset (as can over-hydration)!