Fine-Tune Your Inner System

A healthy gut is a hidden yet critical component of fitness. Vicky Ware explains why, with tips on avoiding problems

This may seem odd, but gut health is one of my favourite topics. What’s exciting about this arguably gruesome subject — to me, at least, as a cyclist and nutritionist — is that researchers keep finding new ways in which the gut affects our health and performance. From the obvious effects on digesting food and general health, to surprising implications for how we feel psychologically, the gut matters more than you might think when it comes to your cycling performance.

Cyclists and other endurance athletes regularly complain of gastrointestinal distress, and there are many good reasons why — as well as many effective solutions and preventative measures. Here are 11 ways in which your gut may be affecting your cycling…

1 Digestion and exercise don’t mix

Exercise reduces gut function, slowing the speed food travels through the intestine and reducing the time you have to absorb nutrients, energy and fluid. If you’re exercising for longer than an hour, these factors may affect your performance. Blood leaves the gut, moving to skeletal muscle instead, meaning the gut becomes less active, with fewer of the movements that are needed to massage food along the intestinal pathway. Food isn’t digested in this environment, so the body may choose to expel it instead, resulting in either nausea or diarrhoea.

2 Blood-starved guts can’t work