Delayed Gastric Emptying

[lph]

Hey - it has a name! I've experienced this several times and it's VERY uncomfortable. I chalked the bloating down to too much salt/sodium, since it improved once I switched to just water. Thanks for the info.

[Eden]

So it sounds like the sugars are the culprit? I usually use a sports drink (Cytomax) and a sugar free electrolyte (NUUN). I'm generally fine for anything thats short, but I do a 105 mile road race every year and I've found I tend to get nausea and a feeling I don't want to/can't eat at around mile 75-90. From what I'm reading here, I may need to back off on the Cytomax and hit the NUUN harder. Do you think I need to put more plain water in there too or the electrolytes without the sugar are OK?

[colby]

Sounds a little familiar to my IM experience... but I had no nausea. Felt more like the flu - hot, a little dizzy, strange cold sweat, diarrhea, uncomfortable but not yet cramping. It did take me several days to feel like I could eat like a human again afterward - I did feel some bloating there. I sure am glad I stopped running and at least had the sense to stop consuming for a while. Next time I'll try just water to reset the system faster.

Makes sense... our bodies weren't exactly made to absorb so many liquid calories, especially sugar calories. I just can't stand to eat solid food while exercising, so I guess it's a matter of finding the perfect balance.

[jesvetmed]

Thanks, Wahine.
I had read that somewhere -- I think the gal I ran with this weekend was experiencing this. She said the last several big workouts / races she'd been having troubles. Hmmm... wish I had her email / or even her name!
Jes

[han-grrl]

great article find! thanks

[teigyr]

Very interesting.

I accidentally had Heed this weekend and OH it was heinous. I was expecting water though so it was kind of a shock.

I'm the same way re low effort and hamburgers.

My friend's husband had something like that happen on a HIM he did. I don't remember what was recommended for him but I can find out.

I'm strange. Maybe I don't exert as I should but I can eat/drink anything and be ok. Don't even ask about the Aunt Jemima pancake sausage sandwiches before the half marathon...then again I don't do anything too strenuous or competitive. I usually use Cytomax and as a complimentary alternate, I have Endurox. Shot Blocks, to me, aren't as effective as gel. They taste better but they are more of a treat than a remedy. Caffeine helps tons but then again that might just because I'm almost lazy. The most exertion I've ever done was 570 miles in 7 days (on the bike) and I lived on plain food and Cytomax.

Wahine, that's pretty scary. I've read about the effects of too much of one thing and not enough of another. I am SO glad you listen to your body though. It isn't worth it to push through, not at the expense of hurting yourself. I am so much in awe of people (such as yourself) who compete and actually compete.

Colby, not that I'm trying to be flippant (because part of me, the very scary part of me, wants to do an IM some day) but oh my gosh you put yourself through some things that normal bodies don't do Unfortunately, I can eat solid calories anywhere and everywhere.

It's very interesting to see what people drink. I don't know how I got started on Cytomax but I like it. I heard Endurox was good for people who couldn't tolerate heat (was told this when I was training for my San Francisco - Los Angeles cycling trip) due to amino acids. I guess everyone has their favorites though it's good to see what the scientific results are.

[Wahine]

So it sounds like the sugars are the culprit? I usually use a sports drink (Cytomax) and a sugar free electrolyte (NUUN). I'm generally fine for anything thats short, but I do a 105 mile road race every year and I've found I tend to get nausea and a feeling I don't want to/can't eat at around mile 75-90. From what I'm reading here, I may need to back off on the Cytomax and hit the NUUN harder. Do you think I need to put more plain water in there too or the electrolytes without the sugar are OK?

This is what I found most interesting about the article. It's not necessarily the sugars. I avoid sugars in my fluids too but use electrolytes heavily because I am a very salty sweater. So it turns out that the potassium etc can shut the stomach down too if it's in too high a concentration. So what I'm taking from this is that I need to water down my electrolyte drink more, make sure I take in some plain water with my endurolytes and watch my effort level in the early stages of the ride. Sounds like a similar thing for you. I used to use Cytomax but after a while it started giving me lower intestinal problems.