Why You Should Take Poop Before Your Run, According to Science
If you’re a regular runner or cyclist, you’re probably all too aware of the gastrointestinal problems that come with a long workout or race. Dealing with the sometimes explosive nature of a runner’s gut, which inevitably strikes when there are no toilets nearby, many athletes are forced to figure out how to deal with the aftermath of a mid-race gut explosion. However, while running poop is almost guaranteed to end up with an embarrassing potty walk (and shortening your run time), it turns out that pre- run poop can help you set a new personal record. As with many things, it’s all about timing.
A recent study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests that a bowel movement before a race can improve performance by increasing the amount of blood reaching the brain and delaying the time it takes to reach fatigue. . In this study, elite triathletes were able to cycle longer when they pooped before training compared to when they didn’t. They also had more blood flow to the brain, which is good when you’re trying something like running or cycling a ridiculously long distance.
Why is pooping during a race so hard?
If you’ve ever felt the very sudden, very urgent need to poop during a race or long workout, you’re not alone. Runner’s gut is a common condition that can affect beginners and professionals alike. This happens for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is that running is a high-impact activity. “Running pushes the contents in our stomach and intestines, which can lead to the urge to defecate during the race,” said Brady Holmer, a researcher at Examine.com, which offers evidence-based nutrition analysis. “The higher the intensity, the greater the risk of an urge.”
The second main cause of runner’s intestines has to do with blood flow. “When we have food in the stomach or digested/undigested food in the intestines, our body directs blood flow to these organs to aid the digestion process,” Holmer said. “Without so much content in our gastrointestinal tract, blood flow can be diverted elsewhere, [for example] to the brain and working muscles during exercise.”
How to provide poop before running
If we had the ability to reliably defecate on demand, then the runner’s gut wouldn’t be the problem it is today. We’ve got some tips for you to try , and there are several ways to get regular bowel movements that are almost as good. First of all, “dehydration can cause constipation,” said Kate Edwards, a University of Tasmania graduate student whose research focuses on understanding the causes of gut problems in endurance athletes. “A glass of water first thing in the morning can help kickstart a bowel movement.” A cup of coffee can help you move forward, and it contains caffeine, which is also a well-known performance enhancer .
It also helps keep you warm. “Exercise can force you to go to the toilet, so you often need to poop as soon as you start running,” Edwards said. “A proper warm-up can help get things off the ground.” A good warm-up can include light jogging, jumping rope, or light stretching to help warm up and cleanse your intestines to prepare for your run. With the right set of conditions (and that all-important pre-launch nonsense) you’ll have a new PR in no time.