For improve performance During competitions, it is very important that athletes train correctly. Even if they have the necessary equipment. But that’s not all. If they want to perform even better, they need incentives through such seemingly trivial habits as go to the bathroom before training. Come on, you need to unload your intestines before running.
That’s the conclusion of a study that was just published in the journal. Sports medicine and medicine. Its authors, a group of scientists from several Chinese research centers, focused on improving productivity participants in triathlon competitions. However, they believe that their findings extrapolated both to other exercises and to cognitive health of older people (and not that old).
And everything is connected. When we play sports, our brain plays a very important role. On the one hand, depending on the discipline we perform, we may have to make very quick decisions. In addition, it is the brain that is responsible for sending the necessary signals to the muscles to perform their functions. If our control center is busy with other tasks, we will not be able to work properly. This is where the toilet comes into play.
To improve your results, go to the bathroom
In fact, in this study, athletic performance 13 triathletes participants, but cognitive abilities. This is because previous studies have already shown that both types of performance are completely related.
For this reason, they did not go out to run, swim or ride a bike, but their ability to solve the test was assessed. Strop. This is a well-known test that you may have done at some point. It consists of observing the sequence written names of flowersbut painted it in a different tone. For example, the word blue is colored red. Participants must say what color the word is instead of reading the name. This requires cognitive qualities, which are assessed not only by the number of correct answers, but also by reaction speed.
All participants completed the test three times. First of all, no bowel movements. Then, with a careful diet, an hour after visiting the toilet. And finally, 13 hours after taking a laxative based on magnesium oxide.
It was found that cognitive performance improved in all those who defecated before taking the test, especially when it was done with the use of a laxative. Although this was not important. The key to improving performance was bowel movements.
Why is this happening?
Scientists are not entirely clear why going to the toilet helps improve cognitive and even athletic performancebut they have a hypothesis. But the fact is that while the intestines are full, part energy resources of the body They target this area of the digestive system. Some of the oxygen that could be distributed through the muscles and brain ends up in the intestines, reducing the performance of each person.
In fact, it may be related to the phenomenon of runner’s diarrhea. Many athletes, especially those who require enormous performance, such as those who compete in marathons, suffer from uncontrollable diarrhea when compete or train. Your body cannot allocate resources correctly. By tensing your muscles so hard, they are tapping into energy and oxygen reserves that will be used for proper digestion. Consequently, this cannot be produced and the bowel empties explosively.
Does improving cognitive ability improve exercise performance?
Many sports, not just triathlon, require good cognitive abilities. For example, in sport strategyLike football or basketball, it requires very quick thinking. In one-on-one sports like tennis, you need to quickly know where the ball is going to be able to see where to run. It is not enough to have good legs to run and good hands to hit a ball. You will also have to think very quickly.
But, as we have already seen, any sport requires our brain to work at full capacity in order for signals to be sent. correct signs to the muscles. If having a bowel movement helps improve cognitive function, exercise will do the same.
But that’s not all. According to this study, something as simple as go to the bathroom regularly may help older adults prevent dementia and improve their cognitive abilities. Without a doubt, this research has enormous implications. It was done with a very small number of participants, which is a limitation, but it does provide a reason to continue the study in the same spirit, with more people willing to go to the bathroom for science. And for the sake of your brain.
Source: Hiper Textual
