Irritable Bowel and Athletic Performance
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a functional bowel disorder that causes bloating; diarrhoea; constipation and abdominal discomfort. As a functional disorder symptoms are not associated with structural and biochemical factors. If you suspect you have IBS it is best to visit your GP or specialist to confirm a diagnosis.
Mild to moderate exercise is recommended for those diagnosed with IBS as it has been found to increase gas clearance and reduce symptoms. However, in terms of athletic performance, digestive problems can negatively impact training and competition through gastric distress, digestive discomfort, fatigue related to fluid and electrolyte losses and the inconvenience of frequent bathroom breaks. Managing symptoms is highly desired by athletes who suffer from IBS.
Treatment of IBS is multi-factorial as the drivers behind IBS are not fully understood, research indicates that certain foods; stress; and gastrointestinal infections may all play a part. Although 40-60% of people with IBS are thought to poorly digest high FODMAP foods (specific groups of carbohydrates that may be poorly tolerated by those with IBS) some people can improve symptoms by managing stress and with dietary changes that don’t require a full low FODMAP diet. This underpins the first line treatment for IBS - stress management and to ensure a well-balanced, nutrient dense food intake without an excessive intake of trigger foods (trigger foods vary from person to person but may include coffee; alcohol; high fat foods; highly processed foods; too much or too little fibre; or dairy products).
Understanding the best way to manage IBS symptoms is very individualised and even more so for an athlete who has unique nutritional needs and training and competitions to consider. It is essential to have IBS diagnosed from a GP or specialist before drastically altering your food intake, removing food groups or starting on a low FODMAP diet as any restriction can impact nutrient intake. Athletes already have higher nutritional needs and can’t afford to risk nutritional deficiencies. There is very limited resources available for athletes with IBS. This is where a dietitian can help out, not only can we consider your sport performance needs we can also adapt this to suit managing IBS symptoms. As mentioned above, athletes cannot afford to follow an eating regime that puts their health and sport performance at risk. As a Monash FODMAP trained dietitian and a sport performance nutritionist I can help you ensure you are fueling to support your sport performance needs while also helping to manage your IBS symptoms.
If a low FODMAP diet is indicated this should be done under the guidance of a dietitian with additional training in low FODMAP diets to ensure it is done correctly and any risk of nutrient deficiencies is well managed.