Why Do You Feel Like Throwing Up After a Workout?

Post workout nausea is pretty common among people (Image via Unsplash @Mehrpouya)
Post workout nausea is pretty common among people (Image via Unsplash @Mehrpouya)

Do you feel like throwing up after a workout? Well, you are not alone. In fact, there are many people who feel nauseous after a workout.

The positive effects of exercise on our bodies, minds, and spirits are well-documented. It's crucial that we enjoy the benefits of exercise while avoiding any potential drawbacks. In a perfect world, we'd look forward to working out and being in good enough shape to do it regularly.

Yet, the feeling of throwing up after a workout or post-workout nausea is a common negative side effect of exercising, although it's usually easy to avoid. Let's face it, when we're low on energy, reducing the likelihood that we'll feel terrible afterwards can make all the difference.

Feeling like throwing up after a workout is common after intensive exercise like running (Image via Unsplash @Fitsum Admasu)
Feeling like throwing up after a workout is common after intensive exercise like running (Image via Unsplash @Fitsum Admasu)

Throwing Up After a Workout: How Common Is It?

It's commonly believed that feeling sick during or after exercise is a sign of superior fitness, but that's not the case. Exercise-induced nausea can affect anyone, from beginners and novice exercisers to Olympians or endurance athletes.

The feeling of throwing up after a workout has little to do with how well you've trained. in fact, training does not mitigate exercise-induced nausea, according to a review published in the June 2021 issue of the European Journal of Applied Physiology.

So what, then, is the cause of exercise-induced nausea, if not your fitness level? The authors of a Frontiers in Physiology study blamed the individual's digestive system for the problem. In particular, symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and queasiness arise due to exercise's interference with the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Many believe that feeling like throwing up after a workout is caused due to low overall fitness, but this is not the case (Image via Unsplash @Jonathan Borba)
Many believe that feeling like throwing up after a workout is caused due to low overall fitness, but this is not the case (Image via Unsplash @Jonathan Borba)

Causes of Post-Workout Nausea

The feeling of throwing up after a workout can be attributed to a number of root causes, with some of the most common ones being:

  • reduced flow of blood to the digestive tract and abdominal organs
  • delayed gastric processes
  • dehydration
  • hyponatremia (lack of sodium in the blood)

When you work out, your body diverts blood away from your abdominal organs and towards your muscles and skin. This can reduce blood flow to your vital organs by as much as 80%. Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, and diarrhea are all possible side effects.

Feeling nauseous after a workout can also be brought on by eating too close in time to a workout. The incidence of exercise-induced-nausea was greater in a 2001 study of 12 healthy participants compared to those who waited 60 minutes after eating and before exercising.

Low intensity exercise is less likely to cause post workout nausea (Image via Unsplash @Anupam Mahapatra)
Low intensity exercise is less likely to cause post workout nausea (Image via Unsplash @Anupam Mahapatra)

Researchers also noticed that high-intensity workouts increased the likelihood of feeling nauseous, as opposed to low-intensity ones.

Compared to high-intensity or intermittent exercise, which may slow gastric emptying and cause nausea or other GI symptoms, moderate exercise appears to have little effect on gastric emptying.


Common Reasons for Post Workout Nausea

Read below about some common causes of feeling like throwing up after a workout. You can then try to work around these causes to prevent post workout nausea.

1) Abrupt Beginning or Ending

Feeling sick after working out can be avoided by stretching muscles and easing the heart rate in and out of training zones before and after a workout. Another justification is that abrupt motions like starting or stopping can trigger nausea.

Our internal organs, like our muscles and joints, are sensitive to sudden movements, so it's important to warm up gradually and cool down thoroughly after any vigorous physical activity.

You should also avoid eating just before or just after your workout (Image via Unsplash @Bruce Mars)
You should also avoid eating just before or just after your workout (Image via Unsplash @Bruce Mars)

2) Exercising in Too Much Heat

Sweating is a natural way to rid the body of toxins, so it's no surprise that working out hard can have these beneficial effects. However, it also has the potential to cause severe dehydration and lower blood pressure, which can cut off blood supply and give you the feeling of throwing up after a workout.

Many yoga instructors advise their students to drink plenty of water and take frequent breaks during hot yoga sessions, so please remember to do this. Be sure to bring water with you when exercising outside in the heat, and take sips frequently.

Also, take a few moments to rest and relax whenever necessary. To get the same fat-burning benefits as high-intensity interval training (HIIT), you can incorporate increasing intensity intervals into your routine.


3) Working Out Too Hard

Trying to exercise at a higher intensity than your body can handle is a common reason why you might feel like throwing up after a workout. You should exercise at a pace that is comfortable for you, whether you are just starting out or you are already exercising six times a week. However, this does not mean that you shouldn't challenge yourself to improve.

Consult a professional, whether it be a doctor, a trainer, or someone who specializes in your area. They can give you advice on how to challenge yourself without overextending yourself physically.

Intense exercise should always be done under the guidance of a trainer to avoid throwing up after a workout (Image via Gabin Vallet)
Intense exercise should always be done under the guidance of a trainer to avoid throwing up after a workout (Image via Gabin Vallet)

When you push yourself too far, you increase your risk of injury and put unnecessary stress on your muscles and joints. For many reasons, including queasy stomachs, pushing yourself too hard when working out alone is not recommended.

Post workout nausea can affect your desire to work out or exercise. Lack of physical exercise can have an effect on our concentration, happiness, sleep, and other health factors. Hence, you should try to prevent post workout nausea by changing your routine.

A doctor should be consulted if your nausea is severe or does not improve after trying the above methods.

App download animated image Get the free App now