Thursday 05 March 2015

Lifecoach: Why do I have a headache and feel sick after exercise?

Our health experts answer your problems. This week: a headache after exercise and a vegan swimmer.

Headache after the gym - lifecoach
'If you are overtraining or not performing exercises with good technique, this could put excess stress on your body and cause headaches' Photo: ALAMY

Over the past six months, whenever I do more than 40 minutes of cardiovascular exercise I suffer from a headache. I usually feel slightly sick, too. Taking tablets does not seem to help. Any suggestions?

Paul Kavenagh, Cambridge


There are quite a few possible causes including dehydration, low blood sugar, overexertion or simply not breathing correctly. If you take supplements, eliminate one at a time to see if something you are taking is causing the headaches.

Basic measures include limiting your caffeine and alcohol intake, having a balanced diet and getting adequate rest. Do make sure you are eating enough. Try to begin and end your cardiovascular routine slowly, or adjust your routine to reduce the harshness of its impact.

If you are overtraining or not performing exercises with good technique, this could put excess stress on your body and cause headaches. The position of your head is important, especially if performing cardiovascular activities such as jogging. If you are straining your neck, it can lead to tension headaches since you are putting stress on the muscles that surround the skull. Regulating breathing should help; breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth.

Exercise presents a conundrum of sorts for migraines. It is helpful in maintaining health, and in reducing the severity, frequency, and duration of migraines. Sometimes, however, it can trigger them. If headaches occur only during or after physical exertion, it probably would do no harm to also get it checked out by your doctor.


Q I am a keen swimmer, and also on a vegan diet. I have noticed that my energy levels have been falling recently, and I’m tending to feel very cold even when swimming in warmish water. Is it time to start eating dairy products and fish again?

Arabella Dawson, Humberside

A Sara Stanner writes:

You may be suffering from iron deficiency anaemia, which your GP can diagnose with a blood test. This, the most common type of anaemia, causes symptoms such as tiredness, lack of energy and shortness of breath. Some people with anaemia also feel cold because iron plays a role in regulating the body’s temperature.

Red meat is the best source of iron, but many plant foods also contain it. A well-planned, varied vegan diet can provide all the iron you need. Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale, cabbage and broccoli, contain iron, as well as nuts and dried fruits such as apricots, dates and raisins. Bread (including white bread, as white flour is fortified with iron) and fortified breakfast cereals can also make a substantial contribution to iron intakes.

Make sure you also include plenty of seeds, pulses and tofu in your diet. The iron in plants is not as easily absorbed as that in meat, but this is improved by the presence of vitamin C in the gut. So try to eat fruit or salad vegetables like sweet peppers, lamb’s lettuce and tomatoes, or have a glass of fruit juice with your meals. Tea and coffee shouldn’t be drunk with meals, as they contain compounds called polyphenols which can bind with the iron, making it harder for the body to absorb. Vitamin B12 and folate work together to help the body produce red blood cells, so deficiencies of these B vitamins can also cause anaemia. Folate is found in fruit and vegetables such as broccoli, brussels sprouts, peas and oranges. Getting enough vitamin B12 can be a challenge for those following a vegan diet, as it is only found naturally in foods of animal origin. Vegan sources are yeast extract, fortified bread and breakfast cereals, or a supplement.


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