Many of my clients tell me that exercise improves their IBS symptoms, particularly bloating, cramping and constipation. But a handful tell me that exercise aggravates their gut by triggering diarrhea. I always support my clients in finding a physical activity routine that’s doable, realistic, and right for their body.
In this blog, we’ll explore physical activity’s effect on gut symptoms and the sweet spot for exercise intensity, as well as fun activities that can help alleviate symptoms.
How Does Exercise Improve IBS Symptoms?
While we’re still learning about the effects of exercise on IBS, research suggests that exercise can improve gastrointestinal symptoms directly, by influencing gut health and motility, and indirectly, by improving our well-being.
How exercise improves symptoms directly and indirectly:
- Expediting Gas Clearance: Movement helps expel trapped gas, thereby reducing bloating and gas pains.
- Improving Bowel Regularity: Moderate exercise stimulates gut motility (the movement of food, fluid and waste through the digestive tract) which promotes regular bowel movements and reduces constipation.
- Strengthening the Gut Microbiome: Regular physical activity positively influences the gut microbiome by increasing the abundance of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Since SCFAs help regulate gut function, this could be important for IBS symptom management.
- Elevating Mood and Reducing Stress: Exercise can help with stress management and mental well-being, which may help reduce stress- and mood-induced IBS flare ups.
- Improving Sleep: Physical activity has been shown to improve sleep quality, and since poor sleep quality can contribute to abdominal pain in IBS, exercise that improves sleep may also improve digestive symptoms.
OK, so now that we have an idea of how physical activity benefits the gut, are there any exercises that are better than others? The answer to this lies in the intensity of the physical activity – low, moderate or high.
Which Exercise Intensity is Best for IBS – Low, Moderate, or High?
There isn’t a ton of high quality research on exactly which exercise intensity is best for IBS, but the existing literature generally suggests moderate intensity is likely to be preferable for symptom management.
Ultimately, the best exercise intensity for your body is one that makes you feel good and one that’s sustainable as a lifestyle habit. If exercising at high intensity improves your symptoms and makes you feel good, then keep doing it. If high intensity exercise regularly gives you severe urgency or makes you feel totally depleted afterwards, maybe it’s time to switch to moderate intensity.
Since the intensity of exercise can potentially have an impact on IBS, let’s explore.
High Intensity Exercise
Ever had to bolt to the bathroom during a HIIT workout, or developed an all-consuming urge to squat in the bushes during a run?
If so, then you know firsthand how strenuous exercise can affect the gut. And for people with IBS, this strong urge to evacuate seems to be more common during exercise that is high intensity.
Case in point: a 2024 study on runners with IBS found that the urgency to defecate and fecal incontinence were highest during or shortly after running.
So what accounts for this unpleasant effect?
- Less blood flow to the gut: During prolonged or high-intensity workouts, blood flow is diverted away from the intestines in order to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. The reduced circulation in the gut can subsequently lead to digestive issues.
- Reduced digestion: People may experience nausea, cramping, diarrhea, or bloating due to reduced gut function during strenuous exercise.
- Strenuous activity can impact the gut barrier: Strenuous exercise can temporarily weaken the gut lining, increasing intestinal permeability (colloquially known as “leaky gut”).
Since IBS is characterized by visceral hypersensitivity (an overly sensitive gut), it’s very possible these digestive changes will cause troubling symptoms during intense exercise. But everyone’s body is different, and if you tolerate intense exercise well and enjoy it, don’t let me stop you!
How to know if you’re exercising at a high intensity: you’re only able to say a few words before needing to take a breath. Examples include:
- Jogging or running at high intensity
- Cycling 10 miles per hour or faster, especially if there are hills
- Jumping rope
- Hiking a steep uphill incline
- Vigorous aerobics
Moderate Intensity Exercise – The Sweet Spot
Based on the existing literature, exercise performed at moderate intensity, has the potential to improve constipation, bloating, abdominal pain and gas retention.
In a randomized control trial (a high quality type of study) evaluating the effect of exercise on IBS symptoms, sedentary adults who added 30 minutes of moderate intensity walking to their lifestyle 5 times a week had improved constipation. Another study found that 60 minutes of moderate intensity walking 3 times a week improved bloating, abdominal pain and quality of life in participants after 12 weeks.
A more recent study looked at how adding 18,000 steps weekly affected IBS symptoms and found that symptom severity decreased, with bloating showing the most improvement.
Research has also found that moderate intensity exercise can increase the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut and is superior to vigorous intensity at improving sleep quality. Moderate intensity physical activity reduces stress and boosts mood, which indirectly improves IBS symptoms by improving communication along the gut-brain axis.
How to know if you’re exercising at a moderate intensity: you’re able to talk but don’t have enough breath to sing. Examples include:
- Walking briskly
- Gentle jogging at moderate intensity
- Gently swimming laps
- Water aerobics
- Cycling slower than 10 miles/hr or on mainly flat terrain
- Doubles tennis or pickleball
Low Intensity Exercise
Believe it or not, even low-intensity exercise can benefit IBS, as it can improve gas clearance, which may help with bloating and abdominal pain. An excellent example of this is yoga, as many forward bend and twisting poses can help release gas.
However, while low-intensity exercise may help with symptoms, it doesn’t confer the same health benefits that moderate to vigorous exercise do.
According to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, moderate to vigorous activity is best to truly reap all the benefits of exercise.
Fun, Moderate Intensity Exercises for IBS
Now that you know moderate-intensity exercise is a potentially helpful treatment for IBS, you might be wondering what specific types of exercise to try.
If you’re new to exercise, low-intensity activity like yoga or gentle walking is a great starting point. Over time you can slowly build up your strength and stamina, and transition to the sweet spot – moderate intensity exercise.
No one sticks to an exercise regime they don’t like, so consider all the possible activities that raise your heart rate and pick one (or more!) that you’ll enjoy enough to do on a regular basis and well into the future. Here are some ideas for moderate intensity exercises for IBS:
Walking (Briskly)
Brisk walking is one of the most common types of exercise studied in IBS, and why not? It’s cheap, easy, accessible, versatile, gentle on the joints, and exerts minimal stress on the digestive system.
You can walk on a treadmill, road or trail, with a partner, dog or simply by yourself. You can listen to music, podcasts or audiobooks. You can walk in the morning, during lunch break, or after supper. You can even walk to commute or run your errands! The sky’s the limit when it comes to ways to fit walking into a regular routine.
Hiking
Hiking takes a bit more logistical organization than stepping outside your front door and going for a walk, but it’s worth the effort!
Being in nature lowers stress, a key driver of IBS symptoms, and time spent in green spaces like parks can increase the diversity of our gut bacteria.
Make sure to bring some gut-friendly snacks and plenty of water when you hit the trails so you’ll have the fuel to fully enjoy your time in nature.
Cycling
Cycling is a low-impact cardio exercise that can support the gut by gently stimulating digestion. Its rhythmic movement may help relieve bloating and constipation without excessively straining the gut. Aerobic exercise like cycling has also been shown in research to improve the diversity and abundance of good gut bacteria, contributing to a healthier gut microbiome.
Swimming
Like cycling, swimming is a low-impact aerobic exercise shown to positively affect the gut microbiome. Swimming can be particularly beneficial if you experience joint pain, as the buoyancy of the water minimizes strain on the body. Aim for moderate-paced laps or water aerobics, and avoid eating large meals before swimming to minimize the risk of triggering a flare-up.
Low Impact Sports
Low-impact sports like pickleball and golf are fun ways to stay active without putting excessive strain on the digestive system. The gentle movements associated with these sports can aid digestion and support gut motility while keeping stress levels in check. Plus, since they allow for breaks and varied intensity, they can be a great option for people who want to get active without triggering gut symptoms.
Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing
Don’t let the winter scuttle your plans for an active lifestyle! Canada is an idyllic place for winter activities like cross-country skiing and snowshoeing that get the heart pumping and offer excellent moderate-intensity aerobic exercise.
One of the greatest lessons I learned while living in the arctic was that with the right outdoor gear (gloves, toque, snow pants, etc), activity in cold weather can be perfectly comfortable!
Other Excellent Exercises for IBS Management
Although the following exercises aren’t moderate intensity, they’re still beneficial for IBS and overall health too.
Yoga
Yoga can be a powerful tool for managing IBS symptoms. The gut and the brain communicate constantly through the gut-brain axis, and research suggests that IBS may result from disruptions to this communication network. Yoga’s breathwork, mindfulness, and physical postures may help relieve IBS symptoms by reducing stress, improving gut motility, and promoting relaxation.
Want to learn which yoga poses are best for treating different symptoms? Check out my article “Yoga for IBS: 15 Poses to Improve Digestion.“
Strength Training
Strength training can be helpful for IBS when done at a low to moderate intensity with proper hydration. Instead of high-volume, high-intensity sessions, focusing on full-body workouts two to three times a week may support digestion and reduce the risk of flare-ups. It’s also important to prioritize controlled movements and adequate rest to improve strength while minimizing IBS symptoms.
How Much Exercise Is Recommended?
According to the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines, adults should try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. In addition, the Guidelines also suggest muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week.
While many people like to split the 150 minutes into five 30-minute sessions per week, you can split it up even further by doing 10 minutes of exercise two to three times a day. It’s all about finding what works best for your symptoms and lifestyle!
Tips for Avoiding Exercise-Related IBS Flare-Ups
Here are some tips for avoiding exercise-related IBS flare-ups:
- Stay hydrated: Not drinking enough fluids can worsen symptoms like constipation. Start with at least 8 cups/day of water and increase it according to your exercise and the temperature. You likely adequately hydrated when your urine is a very pale yellow.
- Avoid hot weather. Some people find that their IBS flares up in hot weather, so if this is the case for you, consider exercising during cooler times in the day, such as morning and evening, or indoors where there’s air conditioning.
- Time your workouts for your body: Some people tolerate exercise better before meals, while others prefer to exercise after meals, like a post-supper walk. Find what works best for you!
- Minimize overtraining: Excessive or very strenuous exercise can stress the gut and worsen digestive symptoms. You don’t need to be a hero to benefit from physical activity.
- Listen to your body: Adjust the intensity and duration of exercise based on how your gut reacts and how you’re feeling that day. If you have symptoms at a time when you planned to exercise, consider a gentler activity and make sure it’s no more than moderate intensity.
Bottom Line
While many people with IBS are wary of exercise because they’re worried it will worsen their symptoms, regular physical activity can be a powerful tool in taming IBS. The key is finding the right type and intensity. Focus on moderate-intensity exercises like walking, swimming, and cycling, and try to work in some strength training and yoga if you can.
And remember: finding the best exercise for your IBS management plan involves listening to your body and experimenting with different kinds of exercises to find what works best for you.
xoAndrea, RD
