Related Experiment Videos
Faecal blood loss in response to exercise
J D Robertson1, R J Maughan, R J Davidson
1Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, University Medical School, Foresterhill, Aberdeen.
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.)
|August 1, 1987
Summary
Marathon running can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, potentially leading to sports anemia. Drug use, especially analgesics, may worsen this bleeding and should be avoided by endurance athletes.
Area of Science:
- Sports Medicine
- Gastroenterology
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Sports anemia is a condition linked to endurance exercise.
- Gastrointestinal bleeding during exercise is a suspected cause of sports anemia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of prolonged walking and marathon running on gastrointestinal blood loss.
- To determine if drug ingestion exacerbates exercise-induced gastrointestinal bleeding.
Main Methods:
- Assessed fecal hemoglobin content in healthy men after prolonged walking.
- Measured fecal hemoglobin in marathon runners before and after races, comparing drug users and non-users.
Main Results:
- Prolonged walking did not affect gastrointestinal blood loss.
- Marathon running caused a significant increase in fecal hemoglobin, suggesting gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Drug ingestion, particularly analgesics, appeared to exaggerate this increase.
Conclusions:
- Intense endurance exercise like marathon running induces gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Drug use in marathon runners can amplify this bleeding, contributing to iron deficiency and sports anemia.
- Discouraging drug use, especially analgesics, in marathon runners is recommended.