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Gastrointestinal complaints during exercise: prevalence, etiology, and nutritional recommendations.

PMID 24791919 (2014): carbohydrate, carb — Time to exhaustion, Time-trial performance, Fat oxidation (study note for endurance athletes).

Last updated/Feb 23, 2026, 11:13 PM

Study note • PMID 24791919

Gastrointestinal complaints during exercise: prevalence, etiology, and nutritional recommendations.

Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2014 • DOI 10.1007/s40279-014-0153-2
Evidence C60/100
Action 2: Consider

Worth trying if it fits your goal and context.

ELI5

In plain language

Gastrointestinal problems are common, especially in endurance athletes, and often impair performance or subsequent recovery. (review; athletes).

In this review, the abstract is mixed or unclear for Time-trial performance. Treat this as a signal, not a guarantee; confirm methods and context in the full paper.

Takeaways

What the abstract suggests

  • Study question: Gastrointestinal problems are common, especially in endurance athletes, and often impair performance or subsequent recovery.
  • In this review, the abstract is mixed or unclear for Time-trial performance.
  • Population: athletes.
  • Protocol cues: abstract may omit dose/timing; use the full paper to replicate accurately.

Protocol

Protocol (as reported)

  • Intervention/exposure: carbohydrate, carb.
  • Dose/time/duration: abstract doesn’t include enough detail; use the full paper’s methods section.
  • Outcomes: Time to exhaustion, Time-trial performance, Fat oxidation.
  • Replication note: abstracts often omit adherence and timing; confirm details before changing training or supplementation.

Fit

Who it helps, and who should skip it

Who it helps

  • Athletes similar to the study population (athletes) working on fueling.
  • Athletes who can measure Time to exhaustion, Time-trial performance, Fat oxidation with a repeatable workout or time-trial effort.

Who should skip

  • If you have symptoms or conditions that make the intervention risky, get professional guidance.
  • If you’re near race day and can’t safely test, defer the experiment.

Methods

What the study actually did

  • Design: review.
  • Population: athletes.
  • Outcomes measured: Time to exhaustion, Time-trial performance, Fat oxidation.
  • Source: PubMed PMID 24791919 (2014) — Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.).

Results excerpt

What the abstract reports

Gastrointestinal problems are common, especially in endurance athletes, and often impair performance or subsequent recovery.

Note: excerpts are short; for full context, read the paper.

Limits

Limitations & bias

  • Abstract-only summaries can miss critical details (population, protocol, adherence, and context).
  • Reviews and consensus statements mix protocols and populations; recommendations may not match your exact constraints.
  • If your context differs (elite vs recreational; cycling vs running), adjust expectations and be conservative.
  • This is performance information, not medical advice.

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Sources