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article 2023 22 pages

Exploring the Nutrition Strategies Employed by Ultra-Endurance Athletes to Alleviate Exercise-Induced Gastrointestinal Symptoms—A Systematic Review

Tansy Ryan, Ed Daly, Lisa Ryan

Journal
Nutrients
DOI
10.3390/nu15204330
Publication type
Systematic Review
Population
ultra-endurance athletes
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Abstract

(1) Background: Participation in ultra-endurance sports, particularly ultra-running, has increased over the previous three decades. These are accompanied by high energetic demands, which may be further exacerbated by extreme environmental conditions. Preparation is long-term, comprising of sufficient exercise management, supportive dietary habits, and nutritional intakes for optimal adaptations. Gastrointestinal symptoms are often cited as causing underperformance and incompletion of events. Though the majority do not pose serious long-term health risks, they may still arise. It has been suggested that the nutritional interventions employed by such athletes prior to, during, and after exercise have the potential to alter symptom incidence, severity, and duration. A summary of such interventions does not yet exist, making it difficult for relevant personnel to develop recommendations that simultaneously improve athletic performance by attenuating gastrointestinal symptoms. The aim of this research is to systematically review the literature investigating the effects of a nutrition intervention on ultra-endurance athletes exercise-induced gastrointestinal symptom incidence, severity, or duration.

Description

This systematic review investigates nutritional strategies for managing gastrointestinal symptoms in ultra-endurance athletes.