ABSTRACT

This chapter highlights the prevalence of gastrointestinal disturbances such as bloating, pain and diarrhoea in athletes. It appreciates the prevalence rates of gastrointestinal disturbances in athlete populations and understands the primary causes and modulating factors of exercise-associated gastrointestinal disturbances. The chapter identifies nutritional strategies to help manage exercise-associated gastrointestinal disturbances. Athletes competing in ultra-endurance events, compared with relatively shorter events such as the marathon, report greater rates of gastrointestinal symptoms. In recent years gluten-free diets have become popular among athletes, with a prevalent belief that this diet reduces gastrointestinal symptoms, improves overall health and even offers an ergogenic benefit, although supportive evidence is lacking. Clinical and anecdotal data suggest that athletes experiencing chronic low energy availability report a high incidence of gastrointestinal disturbances. Stress, fatigue and mood disturbances commonly occur alongside gastrointestinal disturbances in athletes. Often, athletes experience gastrointestinal disturbances only around race situations, where stress and anxiety levels are higher compared to training.