Can pool swimming cause intestinal disorders?

Triathlon Forum
1

I’ve been ‘relearning’ swimming recently, with a coach, meaning I’m spending a lot of time in chlorinated pools, doing drills on my back, and I’ve noticed I’m swallowing a lot of water.

Meanwhile, I’ve had some kind of intestinal disorder for 5 days straight. It feels like a mild form of what I sometimes get when I travel abroad and eat unfamiliar food or drink questionable water. Feels like I have low grade indigestion all the time (intestinal area, not stomach), and have low appetite. I force in some calories by way of oatmeal, bananas, vegetable soup, etc.

Could there be a connection, pool - intestinal problems?

Or just coincidence?

Also went swimming in San Francisco Bay last week, but only for about 10 minutes, and the bacteria count in the Bay was low that week.

I have a gut of steel and almost never have intestinal/digestive problems of ANY kind, except (like I mentioned) occasionally when I travel.

What else might I research - bacteria, virus, parasites, ???

Thanks.

2

Yes, if the pool does not have correct chlorine levels. Most pools are checked frequently enough where you hope this isn’t much of a concern but sh*t happens and sometimes you just happen to swallow a little bit. Odds are that is not what is making you queezy though. Hope you feel better.

3

It certainly could be related as pools are from from clean, but is almost impossible to figure out exactly where this stuff comes from.

#1 least favourite part of this sport - having to be in dirty/chlorinated swimming pools!

4

Hi Oleander,

If it’s not the chlorine balance in the water, perhaps it has to do with swimming itself? Especially after a hard workout, gastrointestinal problems are quite common even in elite swimmers. I’ve been swimming competitively since high school and almost always have problems after a hard workout.

triathletediva.com recently posted about the problem. She calls it “Swimmer’s Stomach”. http://triathletediva.com/?p=29

Anyway, it’s an article worth checking out. It’s a fun read, even if it doesn’t end up solving your problems!

Good luck!

5

I have this debate with my wife frequently. I do think there is some kind of intestinal irritation from bacteria that goes on from gulping large quantities of pool or open water. I first noticed this during water ski seasons where I gulp large amounts of river and lake water. For public pools, you are counting on some minimum wage knucklehead to keep the chlorine level correct. I know that when I am swimming a lot, my stomach is very cranky.

6

“Swimming makes you leaner, stronger, sexier, and comfortable wearing next to nothing in large groups of people.”

hee hee hee
fishtwitchers rock
.

7

Just saw on NBC news this evening that there is a severe stomach virus going around. Can be very painful but lasts for about 2 days. Some lady they interviewed with it said that it was a 8 out of 10 on the pain scale.

8

It has definitely been here, too. I’ve heard of a LOT of people with some serious intestinal problems. Yuck.

Jodi

9

Yeah, I am pretty sure I have/had giardia from swimming somewhere… you might want to google that.