Runner’s diarrhea: How to deal with gastrointestinal problems during sports

Runner’s diarrhea is uncomfortable but can be avoided. We will explain to you where the symptoms come from and what you can do about them if you get caught.

Runner’s diarrhea is a particularly troublesome type of diarrhea caused by overexertion from exercise. Especially extreme athletes such as marathon runners may be familiar with diarrhea, which can also cause blood in the stool. You may also experience nausea, vomiting, or stomach cramps when you have runner’s diarrhea.

In other intensively practiced sports, other problems often arise. In the case of cyclists, for example, the problem zone is probably shifted upwards due to the special sitting position, which is why side stitches, nausea and heartburn can also occur.

Runner’s diarrhea: That’s where the symptoms come from

Runner’s diarrhea can be caused by stress on the body. It is believed that many different factors lead to the gastrointestinal problems. It is not uncommon for the gastrointestinal blood flow to be disturbed.

The stress also inhibits the parasympathetic nervous system, i.e. the part of the autonomic nervous system that controls the body functions necessary for the development and regeneration of tissue, and activates the sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is the part of the autonomic nervous system that primarily supplies the intestines.

When you play a sport intensely, adrenaline and noradrenaline are released, directing blood more to the muscles and skin. For example, with a stress intensity of 70 percent oxygen uptake, the blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract drops by 60 to 70 percent. The poor oxygen supply consequently impairs the barrier function and so-called endotoxins get into the blood vessels, which can then promote nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps or the urge to defecate. This is how the so-called runner’s diarrhea develops.

Runner’s diarrhea: you can do that

To avoid runner’s diarrhea, you should adjust your eating habits:

• Eating before exercise: It is best not to eat or drink anything unusual before or during exercise. You should also avoid consuming large amounts of fiber and fat before exercise, as these take longer to be digested by the body.
• Drinking during exercise: Slightly hypotonic drinks — those that have slightly less dissolved matter than is already in your blood — are better than hypertonic — those with more dissolved matter than is in your blood. So drink water instead of sugary soft drinks. Your body tolerates this better before an intensive workout.
• Dietary supplements: Although dietary supplements such as carbohydrate concentrate gels are commonly used by endurance athletes, you should avoid them if they contain more than six percent glucose. This is because such gels can create an osmotic gradient in the body, which draws water into the digestive tract.

In addition to these tips, you should also make sure not to put unnecessary strain on your body if you have signs of nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps or diarrhea.

You should then adjust your training accordingly or not train at all. For example, just run a short lap or stop exercising for a few days to bring your body back into normal balance.

Runner’s diarrhea: This is what you have to do if nothing works

If you’re still plagued by runner’s diarrhea, then proton pump inhibitors may be prescribed for you in a more severe case.

Before that, you can try organic plant extracts. Highly dosed peppermint oil, caraway oil or bitter candytuft are well suited. These plant extracts can have an anti-inflammatory and desensitizing effect and thus provide relaxation. It is best to ask your trusted pharmacy about this.

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