Carbohydrate beliefs and practices of ultra-endurance runners in Ireland for gastrointestinal symptom management

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the carbohydrate beliefs and practices of ultra-endurance runners in Ireland to gain an understanding of their gastrointestinal symptom (GIS) management strategies. Methodology: An adapted version of a previously developed and validated questionnaire was distributed online to ultra-endurance runners, recognized as those who completed a single bout of exercise lasting 4 or more hours. The questionnaire asked about carbohydrate awareness and sourcing, and dietary practices, particularly in relation to GIS management. Results: A total of n = 68 individuals completed the adapted questionnaire. Of these, n = 1 was excluded due to their reporting of an ulcerative colitis diagnosis. The remaining participants included 46 men and 21 women. Personal previous experience was the main source directing participants’ nutrition practices (n = 30), while only 3 participants quoted sourcing information from qualified professionals. Forty-two participants experienced GIS, usually equally around training and competition times. Many participants had not previously implemented any specific dietary or non-dietary strategies to alleviate exercise-induced GIS. Supplementing with nitrates (n = 9) and probiotics (n = 4) were the most common dietary practices to alleviate GIS, while other practices (n = 14) and portion control (n = 13) were the most reported non-dietary practices. Discussion: Similar to previous studies, these findings suggest that GISs are prevalent in the ultra-endurance running community, occurring regardless of whether during training or an event. Similarly, this research highlights the vast range of GISs experienced by this population. However, the absence of both dietary and non-dietary-related practices used for GIS management alludes to a current deficit in the availability of nutrition information specific to this problem. Further research is required to understand the mechanisms behind ultra-endurance-associated GISs and its various management strategies as well as best practices for communicating these to the target audience to reduce individuals’ risks of developing long-term, chronic health complications.