Journal article
Gastrointestinal cell injury and perceived symptoms after running the Boston Marathon
Frontiers in physiology, Vol.14, 1268306
10/16/2023
PMID: 37908334
Web of Science ID: WOS:001092670100001
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Abstract
Gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances are a prevalent cause of marathon related complaints, and in extreme cases can promote life-threatening conditions such as exertional heat stroke. Our aim was to study intestinal cell injury [via intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP)] and perceived GI distress symptoms among marathon runners. We also examined potential risk factors (e.g., inadequate sleep) that could exacerbate GI disturbances in healthy, trained endurance runners. This was a parallel mixed-methods study design. 2019 Boston Marathon participants were recruited via email and subjects completed surveys before the race describing demographics and training history. Participants completed a GI questionnaire to assess presence and severity of symptoms, a survey regarding risk factors (e.g., recent illness, medications) that could promote GI disturbances, and provided a urine sample at three time points (immediately pre-race, post-race, and 24-h post-race). Due to weather, blood samples were only collected immediately and 24-h post-race. A total of 40 runners (males: n = 19, age = 44.9 ± 10.8 years; females: n = 21, age = 44.8 ± 10.6 years) completed this study. I-FABP significantly decreased from post-race (3367.5 ± 2633.5 pg/mL) to 24-h post-race (1657.3 ± 950.7 pg/mL, t (39) = −4.228, p< .001, d = −.669). There was a significant difference in overall GI symptom scores across the three time points
(F (2, 39) = 41.37,p< .001). The highest average score occurred post-race (.84 ± .68), compared to pre-race (.09 ± .12) and 24-h post-race (.44 ± .28). Post-race I-FABP (r = .31,p= .048) and post-race urine specific gravity (r = .33,p= .041) were significantly correlated with post-race GI symptom scores. Our study provides further support to the individualized nature of GI disturbances, with participants experiencing a wide range of risk factors that can influence the extent of GI damage and perceived symptoms during and after exercise.
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Details
- Title
- Gastrointestinal cell injury and perceived symptoms after running the Boston Marathon
- Publication Details
- Frontiers in physiology, Vol.14, 1268306
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media S.A
- Grant note
- The authors declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by internal funding from the New Faculty Research Grant awarded to DE by the University of Kansas School of Education and Human Sciences and by external funding from the Mid-America Athletic Trainers Association awarded to DE and MK
- Copyright
- © 2023 Kelly, Emerson, McDermott, Atkins, Butts, Laursen, Troyanos, Duckett and Siedlik.
- Identifiers
- WOS:001092670100001; 99380570895906600
- Academic Unit
- Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering ; Biology
- Language
- English