According to a 2017 presentation at the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run by CTS
endurance coach, Jason Koop “gastric distress is the leading cause of DNF [did not
finish] in ultraendurance sports.” If you run ultramarathons, this won’t surprise you, and, if
you’re like me, GI distress is one of those pesky factors that consumes your race prep
and strategy. You’ve tried everything from liquid calories to heaps of mashed potatoes,
and everything in between. Your crew is sick of making ramen and dealing with the
aftermath of your attempted feasting at each aid station
One of the reasons I love ultrarunning is that it is like a puzzle; there are many pieces
that need to fit together in order to have a successful race. The physical act of running
often takes a back seat and things such as a meticulous fueling plan, blister care and
cooling strategies are front and center.
Of each of these puzzle pieces, the fueling plan is generally the biggest focus, because,
well, if your gas tank is empty, you won’t be getting very far. Add in extreme weather,
targeted marketing from nutritional companies, and the myriad of dietary styles buzzing
around the community right now, and fueling can become an overwhelming and
seemingly impossible topic.
Let’s take a second to dig a bit deeper into fueling, particularly in the heat. Many
well-known ultramarathons, such as the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run,
Javelina Jundred and Badwater 135, take place in the heat of the summer. Heat adds
another challenging factor on top of the already tough act of eating and running during
any endurance event. Digesting food tends to become more difficult in the heat because
the majority of our blood supply is focused away from the stomach and concentrated on
muscle function and cooling our bodies (sweating). Focused training in hot weather, as
well as training with the fuel and hydration you’ll use on race day can help a lot, but still
does not guarantee a happy belly. As you can imagine, or may have experienced
yourself, many ultramarathoners are still plagued by stomach issues despite attempts at
specific fueling training plans.
Luckily, CurraNZ just might be able to help. CurraNZ is the award-winning all-natural
black currant supplement that is starting to make a splash in the trail and ultrarunning
community across the globe. World class ultrarunners such as Hayden Hawks and Ruth
Croft are already backing the product for its recovery and performance benefits. Black
currants are rich in anthocyanin, a chemical compound found in dark colored fruit,
particularly berries. These compounds have demonstrated health benefits including
reduced fatigue, enhanced recovery and anti-inflammatory properties. However, for the
purposes of this article, we are interested in how it can help reduce stomach issues,
particularly in the heat. One particular study looking at the effects of CurraNZ on GI
functionality, found that a 7-day trial of 600mg/day of anthocyanin-rich black currant
extract sufficiently reduced stomach permeability and damage to intestinal cell wall lining,
commonly referred to as Leaky gut. Leaky gut is the common term that you might have
heard for damaged intestinal cell wall linings causing permeability. Our intestinal wall
linings are designed to absorb water and nutrients from our food, but when they become
damaged, they can let toxins into our bloodstream and make us feel sick. As you can
imagine, if you are already having a difficult time eating while running, these symptoms
only make it worse.
A second study, which focused specifically on the effects of anthocyanin-rich black
currant extract on GI function in the heat, showed a 50% reduction in upper and lower GI
distress symptoms, as well as a 25% reduction in other GI related symptoms like nausea,
stitch and dizziness. Running in the heat as most of us have experienced at one point or
another, is hard on your body, especially for your digestive system.
While there is always more research to be done, these results are promising and exciting
for ultrarunners! With my own personal experience, I’ve been impressed with the
reduction in stomach upset symptoms I’ve noticed both during and after my training
sessions since starting to take CurraNZ. I can’t wait to race UTMB CCC next month and
be powered by purple!
If you’re an ultrarunner or endurance athlete of any type, I’d encourage you to give
CurraNZ a try, especially if you are training and racing in the heat. I think you’ll be happy
you did.
References:
Koop, Jason (2017). Ultrarunning Training Presentation from 2017 Western States
Endurance Run.
https://trainright.com/jason-koop-ultrarunning-training-presentation-2017-western-statesendurance-race/
Lee, B. J. , Flood, T. R. , Hiles, A. M, Walker, E.F., Wheeler, L. EV, Ashdown, K. M,
Willems, M. ET, Costello, R., Greisler, L.D, Romano, P.A., Hill, G.W., Kuennen, M.R.,
Anthocyanin-rich blackcurrant extract preserves gastrointestinal barrier permeability and
reduces enterocyte damage but has no effect on microbial translocation and
inflammation after exertional heat stress (2022). Accepted version International Journal
of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism. 1-29.
Willems, M.ET., Hiles, A.M., Flood, T. R., Wheeler, L. EV. Ashdown, K. M., Kuennen, M.
R., Lee, B. J. , Anthocyanin-rich New Zealand blackcurrant extract reduces
running-induced gastro-intestinal symtpons in the heat. (2022). Released at ISSN, June
17, 2022.
Originally published on the CurraNZ Blog August 2023
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