What is Exercise Induced Nausea?

Exercise induced nausea is a feeling of sickness or vomiting which can occur shortly after exercise has stopped as well as during exercise itself. It may be a symptom of either over exertion during exercise, or from too abruptly ending an exercise session. People engaged in high intensity exercise such as aerobics and bicycling have reported suffering from exercise induced nausea.

A study of 20 volunteers conducted at Nagoya University, Japan associated a higher degree of exercise induced nausea after eating. It has been suggested that exercise induced nausea could be caused by increased endorphin levels, which are released while exercising. Endorphins have been associated with nausea and vomiting, so this theory is plausible, but unsupported by evidence.

Another possible cause of exercise induced nausea is water logging, another word for overhydration. Drinking too much water before, during, and/or after exercise (or at any time) can cause nausea, diarrhea, confusion, and muscle tremors. If the overhydration is significant enough, it can be fatal. Excessive water consumption reduces or dilutes electrolyte levels in the body. It is encouraged to control your level of water intake when working out, and also to eat salty snacks when you have consumed too much water (sodium and potassium are electolytes).