The effect of exercise for Digestive disorders

This review describes the current state of knowledge on the hazards of exercise and the potential benefts ofphysical activity on the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, acute strenuous exercise may provoke gastrointestinalsymptoms such as heartburn or diarrhoea. A substantial part (۲۰±۵۰%) of endurance athletes are hampered bythese symptoms which may deter them from participation in training and competitive events. Nevertheless, theseacute symptoms are transient and do not hamper the athlete's health in the long term. The only exception isrepeated gastrointestinal bleeding during training and competition, which in the long term may occasionally leadto iron de-ciency and anaemia. In contrast, repetitive exercise periods at a relatively low intensity may haveprotective eVects on the gastrointestinal tract. There is strong evidence that physical activity reduces the risk ofcolon cancer by up to ۵۰%. Less convincing evidence exists for cholelithiasis and constipation. Physical activitymay reduce the risk of diver-ticulosis, gastrointestinal haemorrhage, and in¯ammatory bowel disease althoughthis cannot be substantiated frmly. Up to now, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood although decreasedgastrointestinal blood ¯ow, neuro-immuno-endocrine alterations, increased gastrointestinal motility, andmechanical bouncing during exercise are postulated. Future research on exercise associated digestive processesshould give more insight into the relationship between physical activity and the function of the gastrointestinaltract.