Almost everyone who does any form of exercise has experienced the cold, clammy feeling in their stomach during a workout. This discomfort doesn’t have to stop you from getting in a great workout, but understanding why you feel this way can help you avoid it.
The reason the stomach feels cold is due to how the body regulates itself during activity. The muscle tissues demand increased blood flow during exercise so they can get the oxygen they need. This diverts the heat from non-active areas of the body like the stomach. The sweat evaporating during exercise also helps to cool the body.
A few underlying conditions can cause the feeling of coldness in the stomach including gastroenteritis, bacterial or viral infections on the lining of the stomach, gastroparesis and pancreatitis (National Health Service, 2021). This is often accompanied by pain in the stomach area.
In addition, if you are taking an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as Advil or Motrin for pain, this can affect how your stomach functions. These medications can slow down the movement of food through your digestive tract and cause bloating and nausea. Instead, try to use a single symptom product such as acetaminophen which doesn’t interfere with the movement of food through your system.