Throwing up following exercise can happen to anyone, no matter your age, sex or physical shape. It can be due to a variety of environmental factors and poor choices. Because vomiting and nausea can be debilitating and dissuade you from future workouts, it is important to understand why it occurs and how it can be remedied and prevented.
Causes
Exercise-induced vomiting can occur if you work out first thing in the morning before eating breakfast. Nausea and vomiting can develop when your blood sugar levels drop too low during and following exercise. You can also experience vomiting if you are dehydrated, which decreases the blood flow from the intestines; however, drinking too much water, such as two large water bottles before exercise, also can trigger vomiting. Vomiting also can develop if you are sick, overexert yourself, experience anxiety or are prone to motion sickness during exercise.
Treatment and Prevention
Stop exercising until your nausea goes away. Slowly drink cold, carbonated, clear beverages such as lemonade, water, mint tea or ginger ale. Eat a small meal or snack a couple of hours prior to your workout to help keep your blood sugar levels stable. Keep your eyes on a motionless object or the horizon during exercise if you easily develop motion sickness. Drink about 8 oz. of water for every 15 minutes of exercise to avoid vomiting triggered by dehydration or overhydration.
Tips
Do not overexert yourself or exercise at a high intensity for long lengths of time if you easily experience exercise-induced vomiting. Warm up with a light aerobic activity and gradually increase the intensity of exercise. If your stomach can tolerate it, slowly drink or sip on a liquid food such as a protein shake during or right after your exercise routine. This will help stabilize your blood sugar levels, preventing the nausea that triggers vomiting.
Warnings
Seek medical attention if you frequently vomit after exercise, or if throwing up after exercise is accompanied by weakness, sunken eyes, severe irritability, dry mouth, sticky mouth, disorientation, a weak pulse, a decrease or complete lack of urination, quick heart rate or extreme sleepiness. These could be symptoms of a serious complication such as dehydration, which can be deadly if not treated.
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