How to Prevent Nausea During Exercise
You’re halfway through an intense run of three miles, a Pilates session or a set of weight lifts when – all of a sudden – you feel sick to your stomach. Despite your eagerness to continue with your physical exercise, you find yourself compelled to pause, take a seat, and use all of your energy just to breathe normally.
Within moments, your body feels zapped with energy. All of your remaining energy is being used to prevent yourself from gagging.
Nausea caused by exercising is something that most people, both fitness experts and beginners, can relate to having previously experienced.
Intense and Complex
It is inconceivable to make a conclusion regarding how many times athletes suffer nausea since this depends on their running intensity levels, length of time, and type of exercise. However, it seems to be less common than other stomach-related issues during the majority of running competitions (ultraraces might be an exception).
Despite that, it stands out as the most damaging for its potential to ruin an athlete’s performance.
After surveying 500 participants who completed either the Western States Endurance Run or the Vermont 100 ultramarathon, results showed that feeling sick enough to vomit was the primary reason for being unable to finish either race, being much more common than issues such as not being used to the heat, muscle spasms, and being completely drained of energy.
Vomiting is the most perplexing of all the stomach aches one can suffer from when it comes to finding the cause.
A small selection of factors that can cause feeling sick and, in some cases, being sick, include blood-related elements (poisons, medications, hormones), movement disruptions, a bloated tummy, and unpleasant smells.
When you throw up, it appears to be your body’s means of eliminating possibly damaging substances—specifically when it is linked to consuming or drinking.
Vomiting in certain conditions, such as motion sickness or seasickness, is hard to explain. This could just be a consequence of the interconnection between our vestibular system and our brains.
Regardless of its cause, feeling sick originates from the medulla oblongata, which is a part of the brain located above the spinal cord.
If the stimulation of a particular area in the medulla, which is duly named the “vomiting centre,” is powerful enough, then your body will initiate vomiting by sending messages to your abdominal muscles and digestive system through the nervous system.
As former president George W. Bush might suggest that the curator of throwing up is in charge since multiple sources (including Cabinet members) send signals without initiating vomiting without the Decider’s input.
The surge of Stress Hormones
When it comes to physical activity, there are many different causes for the part of the brain that triggers vomiting.
It seems that a rapid increase of epinephrine and norepinephrine, also known as adrenaline and noradrenaline, could be the source of the excitement that comes with exercise. Those are hormones which help the body react to any kind of pressure or stress, including exercise.
The adrenal glands and nerves in the central and peripheral nervous systems produce these hormones known as catecholamine. Research conducted over the past several decades demonstrates that when someone exercises more intensely, there is a greater release of catecholamines into the bloodstream.
Vomiting is more likely as exercise becomes more extreme, especially after running fast or doing activities that don’t require a lot of oxygen.
For instance, respondents rate their queasiness after taking a Wingate, which is a type of exercise that requires them to cycle as intensely as possible for 30 seconds, on average to be about a 3 on a scale of 0 to 10. However, it is not unheard of for individuals to rate their nausea at a 5 or greater.
Just as engaging in strenuous physical activity can cause the production of catecholamines, engaging in certain forms of psychologically-charged activities, such as a first date, bungee jumping, or making a presentation, can also lead to an increase in these neurotransmitters and may even induce feelings of nausea. Garth from Wayne’s World expresses his nervousness with the phrase, “I feel like I’m going to vomit.”
Athletes often tell stories of vomiting after hard physical exertion, especially in tense situations. This phenomenon has been observed in several scientific studies.
The mix of worry prior to a competition, alongside a sudden increase in adrenaline when the activity begins, is an ideal way to cause nausea and vomiting.
Despite their incredible swiftness or extraordinary endurance, even the highest calibre sportspeople are susceptible to the nausea-causing power of strenuous physical activity.
Food Offenders
Nausea is commonly caused by poor nutrition habits, just like other digestive problems. It is possible to make yourself vomit during exercise by eating a lot at once, but some particular food items are more likely to have this effect.
The most intense effects on the rate at which food is released from the stomach are caused by fat, which is one of the three macronutrients (fat, protein and carbohydrate). Put simply, having a high-fat pre-exercise meal will slow down the emptying of your stomach.
Sustenance that is just sitting in the gut like a brick isn’t advantageous during physical activity and can prompt queasiness similar to how Michael Scott, the endearing however inept manager from The Office, found the hard way when he gulped down a whole plate of fettuccine alfredo before a beneficent 5K race.
Nutritionists and dietitians typically advise against eating large amounts of fat, fibre, and solid proteins in a meal that is close to one to three hours before the start of a race, as this can cause digestion to slow down. It is best to get a good source of protein and a lot of fibre in advance of the race to maximize performance.
Fasting and Caffeine
Exercising without eating beforehand is one of the most popular methods of training and staying fit nowadays. Undoubtedly, there has been researching proving that fasting before physical activity has some positive outcomes in biological and metabolic respects in particular situations.
Be aware that abstaining from food (for example, not taking in calories for 8 hours or longer) amplifies the secretion of catecholamines while exercising since the body attempts to conserve blood sugar levels and metabolize fat to procure energy.
An increase in catecholamines isn’t necessarily unfavourable, but as noted before, it can make some athletes more vulnerable to feeling sick.
Taking into account that the most common time for exercising on an empty stomach is in the mornings, accompanied by a cup of low-calorie coffee, it is an ideal situation for feeling nauseous. Consumption of caffeine has the same effect as working out or abstaining from food in terms of stimulating the secretion of catecholamines.
Under- and Overhydration
Hydrating on the day of a race requires carefulness and precision, similar to walking a tightrope between how much water to consume. Do not do too little or you may become dehydrated and your performance might not be as good. Engaging in too much activity can lead to hyponatremia, which is a condition involving a drop in the amount of sodium in the bloodstream.
Although not common, serious repercussions can stem from hyponatremia which can be potentially dangerous or even fatal. There is a link between nausea and both dehydration and hyponatremia, although the reasons for this are not the same.
Lack of hydration produces various physical changes that are the cause of feeling sick, such as a decrease in nutrient delivery via the bloodstream in the gut and the production of arginine vasopressin (AVP), a hormone which helps the body keep water, however, this may similarly affect the brain to make nausea worse.
At the other extreme, excessive drinking can create an abundance of liquid that, in some circumstances, can cause the brain to become swollen and give one a feeling of nausea. In other words, when partaking in physical activity, there needs to be a proper balance when it comes to consuming water.
Tips for Avoiding Nausea
It has become clear that it is a difficult task to explain why exercise can lead to feeling nauseous. If you are feeling nauseous regularly enough during workouts and competitions that it irritated or disturbs you, there are various possible causes to think about.
The release of catecholamines can be spurred on by rigorous physical activity, abstention from food, drinking coffee, and emotional distress, with dehydration, intensifying the production of AVP. Targeting each of these elements might aid in lessening the level of queasiness felt while running.
Clearly, it isn’t wise to reduce your effort level during competitions, so you will likely experience some degree of nausea during races and strenuous training sessions. Despite this, certain tactics can be employed to reduce the experience of feeling ill during strenuous activity.
First, avoid prolonged fasting and high-dose caffeine consumption beforehand. When breaking a fast, remember to give your body sufficient time to empty your stomach and abstain from eating fatty, fibrous and solid protein foods that impede the process of gastric emptying.
When it comes to staying hydrated, it normally suffices to simply heed your thirst while engaging in activities that last between one and two hours. For longer events, you may want to think about replacing a certain proportion of the fluid you are perspiring (around 50–75%).
If you choose to consume more water than you think you need, you should practice this on some of your runs before relying on it. Generally, you should not end a workout session with a heavier weight than when you began, since that indicates that you are consuming too much liquid.
If you are anxious before races, you may want to use techniques like controlled respiration or being conscious of the present moment.
The severe psychological stress can lead to a heightened release of catecholamines, which can worsen nausea for some individuals. Fortunately, anxiety-reduction tactics are generally safe, with the potential for major benefit.
In my personal experience, taking 10–15 minutes out of the day to take deep breaths, focused on four to six a minute with longer exhales than inhales, is effective.
1. Eat and Hydrate Properly
It is wise to be careful about what and when you eat before exercising to avoid feeling nauseous. Allow yourself at least sixty minutes to process a meal before you start engaging in any activity, according to Kristin McGee, an ACE-accredited individual trainer situated in New York City.
It is best to have a light snack before a workout and to include both proteins and carbohydrates if possible. If you need to eat something now and cannot wait until after your exercise, choose something like a banana, dried raisins, or an energy gel, as these foods can be broken down quickly.
Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, but don’t consume too much. You don’t need to drink a whole 24-ounce bottle of water right before your jog – a couple of 8-ounce glasses should suffice.
Even though athletic beverages can aid in reestablishing depleted minerals, a lot of them have a great deal of sugar that could countermand your attempt to stay hydrated. Dr Kyrin Dunston emphasizes the importance of taking sports drinks into consideration with how long and how strenuous the exercise is.
Regular water should be enough to meet the needs in most cases, but if you find yourself doing tough or lengthy exercises, having a beverage low in sugar that can absorb fluids quickly and rejuvenate the electrolytes your body has used up may give you an extra boost.
Possible risks of too much or too little food and water
Dunston claims that not having sufficient water in one’s system can lead to a sense of nausea following exercise.
The other possibility? You drank too much water, and now your belly is very full.
Dunston pointed out that it is important to consider how recently you have eaten and what you ate before exercising. Working out in the morning without having eaten anything can lead to low blood sugar, also known as hypoglycemia.
According to Dunston, when that’s the case, it’s typical to feel both sick to your stomach and lightheaded. Eating too much before working out puts your abdominal muscles in competition with your stomach.
Dunston states that the body transports blood to the gastrointestinal area to aid in digestion. If you work out while your stomach is full, your body must send blood to your muscles to facilitate their movements.
When your body attempts to manage both digestion and tough physical activity at the same time, insufficient blood supply is available to assist you with digestion, according to Dunston. Nausea can result.
“Nausea is a precursor to vomiting,” says Dunston. One method to address the lack of blood flow is to expel the contents of the stomach.
2. Lower the Intensity
If you have not worked your body up to a certain exercise or level of intensity (like running five miles in seven minutes or swimming continuously for thirty minutes), do not attempt to do so without taking the proper steps.
It’s important to start slowly and adjust your expectations if you’re not used to a particular speed, range, or action.
Dunston suggests staying within your desired intensity level.
Essentially, don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can participate in an intense six-mile trail race if you’ve only ever been running on the level terrain of your area. Try to have an equal amount of eagerness and precaution when it comes to trying new exercises and movements.
When you are prepared to increase the speed, length, or amount of reps, do it gradually and be aware of when your body starts to get fatigued so you can ease up before your exhaustion limit is reached.
Possible risks of overexertion
The distinction between challenging yourself to increase your running time by two minutes and going too far to the point of becoming sick can be hard to tell. Physical activity is not intended to be straightforward (it should push your boundaries), but it should not be so difficult that it impedes you from finishing a session.
McGee says overexertion can lead to nausea.
When you are pushing yourself during an intense workout, your body responds by circulating more blood to your muscles, heart, lungs, and brain so energy can be processed and you can keep going.
When this occurs, the supply of blood to your stomach is reduced, which can lead to a feeling of nausea.
3. Warm Up Properly and Avoid Exercising in Extreme Conditions
If you don’t take enough time transitioning from sitting at your desk directly to running at full speed, you’re going to place undue fatigue on your body before you even begin your exercise routine.
According to McGee, it is critical to warm up your muscles before doing physical activity to ward off queasiness caused by overexertion.
You can start your workout with a light jog for 5-10 minutes, a brisk walk for a couple of moments, or do some dynamic stretching that will increase blood flow, stimulate your central nervous system and give you better strength, power, and flexibility.
Another tip? Avoid working out in extreme conditions, says McGee. Doing the physical activity in too moist or boiling temperatures may result in heat stress, queasiness, and giddiness if you are not vigilant.
If you adore hot yoga or running in the sunshine during the summer, don’t worry! Keep well-hydrated and take it easy at first to give your body a chance to get accustomed to the warm temperatures.
What to Do if Your Workout Makes You Nauseous
No matter how careful you have been, feeling nauseous may occur. Dunston suggests taking a few moments of rest when one begins to feel the queasiness that nauseousness can bring.
Cease what you’re doing and look for something solid that you can either sit on or lean against. Dunston recommends ceasing activity for the day or lessening intensity if the queasiness does not reduce.
