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How do you avoid a sloshing stomach when running?

Vrijdag, 2 oktober 2015

It’s a good idea to drink before and during your run. But do you know that feeling, as if the water in your stomach is going in all directions? This is often accompanied by a strange, sloshing sound – so loud at times that your running partner can also hear it. That is a sloshing stomach. How can you avoid this unpleasant feeling without becoming thirsty or dehydrated while running?

You lose a lot of moisture, especially during a long run. For that reason, it is important to drink enough before and during your run. The rule of thumb is: drink about half a litre two hours before running, a quarter of a litre during the warm-up and another quarter of a litre every 10 to 20 minutes during running. This is also the answer to the question “How do I avoid a sloshing stomach?”

What causes a sloshing stomach?

There are runners who consciously drink only a few small sips of water before and during their workout. But it is precisely at those times that the risk of a sloshing stomach is high. The so-called “sloshing stomach” is caused by the fact that small amounts of liquid remain in the stomach. When someone starts running, and thus moves up and down, the water also moves up and down. And you can feel and hear that movement. Most runners react by drinking even smaller sips, hoping that the sloshing stomach will decrease. But this often backfires. What should you do then? Drinking larger quantities in one go. But why?

Stomach volume

A larger stomach volume ensures faster passage to the intestines. The more “pressure” there is on the stomach, the faster the stomach volume passes to the intestines. When small amounts are present in the stomach, there is less pressure on the stomach and the transit time to the intestine is longer. It is precisely for this reason that a sloshing stomach occurs when drinking small sips of liquid. After all, the stomach does not fill up with large amounts of liquid, so the transit time is longer. Once you start running again, the water is still present in the stomach.

Drink a lot

Therefore, the best advice for preventing a sloshing stomach is not to take small sips of water just before running, but rather to take in larger amounts in succession. It is precisely this greater quantity that prevents a sloshing stomach due to the quick processing time. Therefore, feel free to drink half a bottle of water before your run. This will give you fewer complaints than, say, three small sips. Apply the same principle during training if you want to replenish your fluid levels.

Good drinks

Therefore, drinking large quantities is a good idea. But do drink “good drinks”. The best is still tap water or sugar-free hypotonic or isotonic sports drinks.