Escrito por: Martijn Redegeld
Resumen:
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Las molestias gastrointestinales durante el ejercicio pueden tener varias causas. Por ejemplo, pueden deberse a una composición inadecuada de la última comida antes del inicio del ejercicio o a un momento inadecuado de la ingesta antes del ejercicio.
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Un plan de nutrición de competición correcto con los productos de nutrición deportiva adecuados también puede reducir en gran medida el riesgo de molestias gastrointestinales.
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En particular, para tolerar adecuadamente una mayor ingesta de carbohidratos y líquidos durante el ejercicio, es fundamental entrenar regularmente un plan de nutrición de competición. Esto se debe a que el sistema gastrointestinal es muy entrenable, por lo que de esta manera se reduce al mínimo el riesgo de molestias.
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Este entrenamiento gastrointestinal se lleva a cabo mejor durante un período de 6 a 10 semanas antes de un objetivo importante. Durante este período, aumenta gradualmente la ingesta hasta el objetivo de carbohidratos deseado (por ejemplo, 60, 90 o 120 gramos por hora) a través de productos que también planeas usar durante la carrera real.
El impacto del ejercicio en la digestión
Elija comidas de fácil digestión y preste atención al horario
Prior to a workout or competition, it is therefore recommended that you choose light-digestible meals. You can do this by choosing carbohydrate-rich products that are relatively low in fats and fiber. These two nutrients in particular slow down the digestion and absorption of a meal. Therefore, choose, for example, white rice or pasta with a light sauce and limited amount of vegetables, or white bread with some jam, honey or apple syrup. In addition, be economical with the amount of protein-rich products (meat, fish, eggs, dairy, legumes, etc.). In addition to the composition of this meal, pay attention to the timing of intake. Digesting a full meal takes at least 2 to 3 hours, so definitely aim for this time between the last meal and the start of the workout as well. Additionally, keep in mind that some people will need a little longer to experience no symptoms. If you only take a smaller snack before exercise, try to do so about 1 hour before the start.
Train your gastrointestinal system for maximum carbohydrate absorption
It is no longer a secret that the proper intake of carbohydrates and fluids during a long endurance exercise is very important for good performance. In the previous blogs, you were able to read which carbohydrates are best suited during your exercise, and also how much of these you need to perform optimally. For top performance in the longest and toughest efforts, very high carbohydrate intakes are necessary: up to 90 to 120 grams per hour. However, no one is directly able to absorb these amounts hour-after-hour into the body without any problems, especially during heavy exercise. Fortunately, the gastrointestinal system, like our muscles, for example, is highly trainable and thus we can get better at absorbing all the necessary nutrients.
Optimal nutritional choices during training and competition
To make this even easier, also during your training or competition choose products that can be digested quickly and easily. This can be achieved through both solid (e.g. energy bars) and liquid foods (sports drinks and energy gels): the combination of products that works best for you is mainly a matter of personal preference. Liquid products contain only rapidly absorbable carbohydrates and a small amount of salt. This poses minimal stress on the stomach and intestines, but at the same time does not offer a "full feeling. Therefore, sports drinks and energy gels are especially recommended during the most intense efforts, and during sports where the risk of gastrointestinal distress is high anyway (such as running). Energy bars deliver the energy gradually and provide a slightly fuller feeling in the stomach. Thus, especially during gentle workouts, this can be a pleasant choice. Even more important is to find the combination of products that you like and tolerate best.
Optimize your performance
To get better and better at absorbing large amounts of carbohydrates and fluids, which is indispensable for peak performance, it is very important to regularly train your competition nutrition plan. Doing this regularly not only increases the tolerance of your stomach and intestines (preventing you from experiencing symptoms), but improves the speed at which sports nutrition passes through your stomach and increases absorption in the intestines. Several scientific studies show that the transport systems on the intestinal wall that are responsible for the absorption of carbohydrates (glucose and fructose) increase in number when predominantly carbohydrate-rich food is consumed for a longer period of time. Thus, this effectively puts more energy into the body, and also makes the muscles better at using larger amounts of carbohydrates as an energy source. All of these steps ultimately provide direct performance gains.
Train a high carbohydrate intake once a week
Specifically, it is therefore advisable to start training your stomach and intestines over a period of 6 to 10 weeks leading up to an important event. You do this by achieving a high carbohydrate intake once a week via products that you also plan to take during your actual race. Try to do this in one of the longest workouts of the week, and/or the workout with the most race specific intensity. Do not aim for the maximum intake right away (for example 90 or 120 grams of carbohydrates per hour), but build it up gradually week by week (for example, every week 5 or 10 grams of carbohydrates per hour extra). While doing this, also don't forget to include the other things in your race nutrition plan (such as adequate fluid intake).
