Headaches after exercising

radzer0 · July 2013

Heres a little info on whats going on.

First a little info about me though. Im 27, 202lb, drink a decent amount of water all day long at work (around 64oz over 5 or so hours). Also take a multivitamin around 8pm each day.

I goto the gym around 9-930pm and do an hour on the treadmill. Have a whole powerade (32oz) for the course of my workout.
Settings consist of 2.9-3.1mph at a 5.5incline. Going up and down to try to keep my heart rate near 130bpm which ive been told is around the best for fat burning.

About 10-15min after i stop exercising i get a headache and just feel like **** after. Tonight after my shower and all i ate 2small roast beef hoagies and at that point i felt better but within a few min the headache was back.

Ive always heard exercising makes you feel better and energized and i can kind of feel that but this headache crap makes me not wanna do anything.

I do take glucosomine in the mornings but I dont believe that would have any effects that only happen after working out. No other meds and I only drink on friday nights.

Any input will be of great help. Thanks

peeaanuut · July 2013

powerade always made me feel not so good. Have you tried mixing the drink aid up? Maybe swap to water one day? Powerade is about 8% sugar from what I have read before and depending on your other sugar intake for the day, it may top you off.

Now, it could also be the other way around. Your blood sugar could be dropping. How is your energy level after the workout?

Either way, I would try the easiest thing to change first and that is the liquids you consume during the workout.

Dunkirk · July 2013

What happens if you drink water instead of powerade during your workout? Still a headache?

dnunny70 · July 2013

Blood pressure?

radzer0 · July 2013

I actually use the powerade zero. Been drinking it for a few years and i dont think that could be causing it unless this new formula they have now is causing it.

My energy level seems pretty good. Its just this damn headache.

Drinking water during exercising i would end up drinking 100oz because it doesnt seem to wet as well, i know it sounds stupid but the powerade keeps my throat from getting crazy dry and ive also noticed tonite my sinuses getting very dry, could that cause headaches? The gym has 4 large ac units and it seems to do better at taking humidity out of the air than cooling the place.

Id guess it could be blood sugar dropping but wouldnt that make me feel like i need to goto sleep?

radzer0 · July 2013

Blood pressure?

Blood pressure is well within the normal zone.

Byrdsong1920 · July 2013

What's your diet like? May be that you aren't eating enough and sugar may be low....

tigerlily42 · July 2013

I'm with the other posters - try changing out the Powerade Zero. It does have sucralose (Splenda) in it and while Splenda has fairly good PR some people are sensitive to it. See here: http://www.ehow.com/about_5063854_splenda-allergy-symptoms.html

If you try a couple days without the Powerade and don't get headaches you'll know the cause. If it doesn't make a difference you'll have eliminated a potential problem.

Also how much are you eating? Are you getting enough sleep?

radzer0 · July 2013

I guess I can try to do regular powerade for a few days and see whats what. But ive used it at home before as a drink just with dinner and things without any headaches.

Sleep Id say averaging a week I get 9hours a night.

Eating I had a 5guys mini burger with frys for lunch and at dinner i had 3 sushi rolls. Than the 2 small roast beef hoagies about 30min after working out.

Theres also usually a banana mixed in somewhere in each day.

peeaanuut · July 2013

because your sinuses are dry and your throat is dry with water, I am going to guess that you might be on the lighter side of dehydration. Kick that water level up for sure.

radzer0 · July 2013

I know all about dehydration.. Ive been to that point where your 10min from needing an IV because you cant keep water down... I know for a fact its not that. On other sites ive been *****ed at because sometimes I may drink upwards of 100oz of water in a 2hours period and there saying its bad for my kidneys (dont know if this is true).

The dryness is being caused by like 5% humidity in the place, if its even that high. The main question on that one would be if dry sinuses would cause the headaches

radzer0 · July 2013

Also if it would be low blood sugar or something like that. Would that be something to "sleep off"? I always thought that was something you would have to eat something to help solve not something that time solves.

stenjoh · July 2013

I have the same problem. I was working on building up to do a 5K at a decent speed when I started getting headaches. I do suffer from migraines and thought the first few times were just coinsidences but I then started noticing a pattern. I do not consume any artificial sweeteners so I know that isnt my issue. I also drink pleanty of water, eat a small pre workout snack and my blood pressure is good.

I read a little online about migraines and exercise and it did state rigerous exercise as a common trigger. Since then, I have just focused on walking certain distances instead of how fast I could walk/run a mile or two. Since I backed off on the intesity I havent experienced a migraine. It is kind of a bummer since I was really enjoying the idea of running.

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/features/exercise-and-migraines

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise-headaches/DS00641

ninerbuff · July 2013

Have you recently cut out caffeine?

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Headaches after exercising

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