Consuming a healthy diet could help runners beat stomach problems
| Feb 18, 2019, 16:03 IST
Most runners suffer from stomach issues that are similar to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Now, this can not only impact their abilities to run but can also cause great discomfort to them. A new study has found that consuming a low fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide and polyol diet or the FODMAP diet can help people suffering from IBM. The researchers found that following the FODMAP diet helped reduce issues like stomach cramps and bloating, thus allowing a person to exercise without facing any problems.
FODMAP foods include lactose (milk, yoghurts and cheese), fructans (cereals, breads and pasta), galactic-oligosaccharides (legumes and onions) excess fructose (apples, pears and asparagus) and polyols (added as a food additive). Participants were asked to rate their gastrointestinal issues at the beginning and the end of their diet. It was found that over 69% of the participants reported that they felt an improvement in their condition post following the FODMAP diet. And this also helped pave a way for them to exercise more frequently and with more intensity.
"Elite athletes work closely with dieticians and nutritionists, but recreational runners might find following a restrictive diet such as this quite challenging or even stressful. It's also important that people take care if deciding to follow a low FODMAP diet, as reductions in total caloric and carbohydrate intake may impact on nutritional quality," said a researcher.
FODMAP foods include lactose (milk, yoghurts and cheese), fructans (cereals, breads and pasta), galactic-oligosaccharides (legumes and onions) excess fructose (apples, pears and asparagus) and polyols (added as a food additive). Participants were asked to rate their gastrointestinal issues at the beginning and the end of their diet. It was found that over 69% of the participants reported that they felt an improvement in their condition post following the FODMAP diet. And this also helped pave a way for them to exercise more frequently and with more intensity.
"Elite athletes work closely with dieticians and nutritionists, but recreational runners might find following a restrictive diet such as this quite challenging or even stressful. It's also important that people take care if deciding to follow a low FODMAP diet, as reductions in total caloric and carbohydrate intake may impact on nutritional quality," said a researcher.