Extreme Exercise Tied to Gut Damage

A systematic review suggested that exercise intensity was a key regulator of gastric emptying rate, with higher intensity exercise (≥70% peak power output) causing the greatest disturbance to gastric motility, However, steady state moderate exercise (60-70% peak power output or 66% VO2max equivalent) did not appear to influence gastric emptying and intestinal transit compared with rest in well-trained individuals, Additionally, they found that the impact of high-intensity exercise on gastric motility appeared to be ephemeral, as the intensity of prior exercise had a negligible effect on post-exercise gastric emptying rate of a glucose solution. Costa's group found that as exercise intensity and duration increased, so did indices of intestinal injury, permeability and endotoxemia, as well as impairment of gastric emptying, slowing of small intestinal transit, and malabsorption. "Understanding the effect of prolonged strenuous exercise on gastrointestinal motility is important since the consumption of foods/fluids during exercise aids in the maintenance of blood glucoseconcentration and euhydration, aimed at attenuating fatigue and enhancing exercise performance," Costa stated. https://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/GeneralGastroenterology/65834?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2017-06-07&eun=g721819d0r&pos=3