Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 68, March 2015 | Page 37

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Body Science

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Experiencing symptoms of nausea or vomiting is common amongst runners. A 1992 study published in the International
Journal of Sports Nutrition found that 93 percent of endurance athletes experienced some type of acid reflux, nausea or
vomiting before, during or after races. Here’s what to do about it. – BY SEAN FALCONER

1. Pre-Race Nausea

This is most commonly caused by nerves and anxiety, often due to
internal pressure and expectations runners put on themselves. The
nausea-like symptoms of anxiety are the result of the release of
adrenaline, which disrupts the stomach by pulling blood away from
the intestines and sending it to the heart, brain and skeletal muscles.
Without proper bloodflow, the body can’t move food through the
digestive system, and stress can also cause muscle tension in the
abdomen, which may squeeze the stomach and result in vomiting.
Avoid it…
• Focus on things you can control, like your warm-up, and in the
workouts leading up to a big race, practise the exact warm-up
routine you plan to follow on race day. This will be your comfort
zone, a routine with familiar steps that has worked for you before.
• Take extra care with your pre-race meal. Switch to a low-fibre diet
two to three days prior to race day, reduce your intake of fruit and
vegetables, and consider a liquid pre-race breakfast, which can be
digested quickly.
• Avoid using anti-inflammatory drugs, since recent research points
to a strong correlation between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drug-use and vomiting during endurance events.

3. Vomiting After A Hard Effort

Some runners are not concerned about vomiting after a race because it
doesn’t impact their performance, but can be harmful to your body, bringing
up stomach acid that can damage your esophageal lining and affect your
digestion. This vomiting can be caused by the sudden change in effort as you
stop running hard, particularly if this immediately follows an intense kick for
the finish. As you cross the finish line, your brain, lungs and heart may not
be ready for the rapid change in exertion, and your stomach may continue
contracting, which can make you feel ill.
Avoid it…
• Ease off gradually, go for a proper cool-down jog, and don’t sit
down immediately after your run. Walk around or jog lightly to
give your body a chance to adjust to being still again, and to prevent
stomach cramping.

2. Sickness During Races

Images: Fotolia

The most common cause of vomiting and nausea during hard runs is
the shutting down of the digestive system. The muscles need more
oxygen-rich blood, so the body diverts blood from non-critical areas,
such as digestion, to feed the muscles. Another factor is running in hot
conditions, which also decreases bloodflow to the digestive system as
the blood is diverted to the skin in an effort to cool the body down.
Avoid it…
• If you plan on drinking or eating during a race, make sure
you’ve practiced your strategy in training. Also, take gels and
other simple sugars with water and not a carbohydrate drink,
so that the digestive system does not need to work harder to
break all that sugar down, which it would struggle to do even
when fully functioning!
• Dehydration can lead to overheating and can also slow stomach
emptying, while taking in too much sodium, potassium or other
electrolytes can lead to bloating, nausea and vomiting.
• If dietary precautions don’t solve the problem, you can try antacids
or drugs for acid-reflux, which have been known to alleviate nausea
and vomiting symptoms when taken an hour prior to a race.

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