High-Intensity Exercise May Be Bad For The Bowels

Photo – tacofleur – pixabay.com

Exercise is a mainstay for anyone who wants to be healthy. Unfortunately, like many things in life, everything must be done in moderation since you really can have too much of a good thing. According to a study published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, excessive exercising may contribute to gut damage and can even predispose a person to infections entering through the digestive system.

Note that this is not because of physical shaking of the bowels. In the study, researchers determined that exercising for over 2 hours at 60 percent VO2 max is the threshold in which gastrointestinal damage is likely to occur regardless of fitness status. VO2 Max stands for the volume of oxygen consumption brought about by the intensity of the exercise. ^[1][2]

Exercising at this level may bring forth a problem dubbed by the researchers as “exercise-induced gastrointestinal syndrome“. This condition is typically characterized by the inflammation of the protective lining of the gut, which weakens its ability to prevent toxins from seeping into the bloodstream. This is now considered able to cause intestinal injury, endotoxemia, slow intestinal movement, and nutrient malabsorption. It was also pointed out in the study that besides strenuous exercise, high ambient temperatures during workouts seem to exacerbate the gut disturbances.

Although the exact mechanism for how this syndrome occurs is not yet clear, researchers theorized that the decrease of blood flow towards the gut during exercise may trigger the occurrence of the symptoms.

Dr. Ricardo Costa, the lead author of the study, recommends several tips you can do to avoid this condition.

1. Exercise in moderation.

2. Stay well hydrated during workouts.

3. Avoid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs before working out since they are gastrointestinal irritants.

4. Take frequent rest periods between workouts.