Anyone else sometimes get dizzy during or after jogging/cycling?

Jthanmyfitnesspal
Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm a near-60y-old runner and I've struggled with this on and off for a long time, maybe all my life (which would explain why I avoided athletics in my teens). I get a little dizzy sometimes.

Rarely, I get a-lotta dizzy, notably a few weeks ago on a trail jog where I had to take a break leaning against a tree. Urg. I was really seeing stars that time. After a few minutes, it went away, and I jogged two more miles. Go figure.

It seems to help if I drink a big glass of Nuun (electrolytes) before a run. I had not done that on the trail run described above. On very long efforts (cycling, hiking, 60+minute runs) I'll sometimes use Gu or a banana to prop up the blood sugar. But, getting dizzy after 15-30 minutes shouldn't be a blood sugar thing... I think!

Recently, I read an account of someone who tried taking a magnesium supplement after running. They reported a big improvement. Nuun really doesn't have much magnesium. Now, I'm trying it, however, I'm also taking meds that have to be taken 4h away from it, so I'm limited in my experiments.

Anyone else get the dizzies when exercising? Any other solutions out there?

Replies

  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,743 Member
    When it's hot I get dizzy during and after some runs. It is probably related to dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalance. I sweat a lot! Maybe low blood pressure since I also sometimes get orthostatic hypotension (dizzy when I stand up quickly or when I stop exercising suddenly, e.g. when I stop at a light or get off the treadmill after a hard workout). I haven't found a solution, but it is so erratic it has never been a priority. It only happens once a month or so. It is irritating when I run and then almost pass out after I stop, but I've only once thought it dangerous. That time I was running down a fairly busy road and was weaving from dizziness. I stopped and sat down for a minute or two, then was able to finish my run.
  • mjbnj0001
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,266 Member
    edited March 2021
    Autumn 2019 I developed BPPV, which is a balance disorder caused by the crystals in your inner ear dislodging. Really made me swoon whenever I moved my head, and I had to stop cycling for a bit. It cleared after about 6-7 weeks, but left me feeling vulnerable for a bit afterwards. The interesting thing is that the journey to diagnosis was educational ... discounting possible strokes and cardiac/circulation/blood pressure things, it turns out that some people are more susceptible to slight dehydration, increasingly as they age (and I'm 66yo now) and good hydration while exercising - and in life - wards off some balance problems. The key is, wait for it ... get it checked by a good doctor to rule out all the potential nasties.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    @spiriteagle99 : I get the stand-up dizzies more when I am doing more cardio. This is the idea of trying the magnesium pills after running. The reason NOT to do them BEFORE running is they also affect your digestion and might give you "gastric distress," which is enough of a problem with running without magnesium, it seems.

    @mjbnj0001 : Inner-ear vertigo is a very common problem that several of my friends have gone through. Count yourself lucky if it goes away! I have one colleague who is basically dizzy all the time now and they can't find relief. He's been to the vertigo specialist and everything.

    The exercise-induced dizziness appears to be more due to blood minerals, blood sugar, and heat regulation. They all get harder with age!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Only when I'm dehydrated...even if it's not extreme dehydration. It also used to happen to me a lot more when I was drinking alcohol on a regular and frequent basis. Since I stopped drinking, I haven't noticed the dizziness. Sometimes I would even get it just after going for a long walk after a night of drinking even though I was sobered up the next day.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    @cwolfman13 : Interesting. I haven't stopped alcohol completely, but I've cut way way back and I abstain the night before any run (e.g., Saturday morning run club). It definitely helps (in many ways)!

    PS. I really like Atheletic Brewing non-alcoholic beer! T'aint cheap, but it really tastes great after a run.

    https://athleticbrewing.com/
  • Djproulx
    Djproulx Posts: 3,084 Member
    I've experienced dizziness, etc during endurance events, particularly when working in the heat. As a result, I've separated my calorie intake (gels, liquids, solids) from my electrolyte supplements (Liquids) and that seems to really help me. My guess is that dehydration/loss of electrolytes could be the culprit based on your description of symptoms.

    The product I'm currently using for electrolytes is Precision Hydration. It comes in tablets or powder as a drink mix. I use the powder in both my bike and run bottles. You can find lots of good information & articles on the PH website, including topics such as "Do you need potassium, magnesium and calcium in your sports drink?" There are other products out there that have fans among the endurance racing crowd, such as Base Performance, NUUN, etc. Might be worth trying a couple to see if they help you during longer workouts.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    You might want to get this diagnosed for real, if you haven't. I don't want to be gloom'n'doom-y, but there are some fairly serious things that can manifest with these sorts of symptoms. It's probably one of the common minor things, but . . . it would maybe be good to confirm that?
  • tbilly20
    tbilly20 Posts: 154 Member
    Hopefully this is not related to your issue in any way, but my dizziness started around exercises (during and after) when I was diagnosed with heart valve issues. As it got worse, so did the dizziness. I have been fighting to keep this in-check since my surgery a little over a year ago. My dizziness is mitigated with hydration (always pedialyte!), ample rest, and good nutrition. It’s getting better, but the heart takes a long time to really heal.

    I hope yours is from a very different cause. Like @AnnPT77 said, tell your Dr, and make sure it’s nothing serious. Better safe than sorry with this sort of thing.
  • mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12
    mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsa12 Posts: 204 Member
    I get dizzy running sometimes. I live in Sputh Florida and for me it is related to the heat and humidity. Around this time of year it gets humid and then when I stop running I feel light headed and sometimes see black dots. I don’t run far, just 3or 4 miles 4 or 5 times a week.

    Last year I thought if I pushed through I’d “acclimatize”, after all other people run outside all year. But instead I just feinted, which was really embarrassing- luckily I wasn’t in the road and didn’t hurt myself. But the experience stopped my running until the cooler weather came. This year I bought a treadmill and I’ll be running in the garage until October!

    I saw a doctor when it happened and she said I just have low blood pressure and should wear compression socks and arm sleeves and not go from running to stopped quickly. I wear the compression socks, but I don’t notice a difference.

    If you can, see a medical professional to discount any serious issues.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,610 Member
    edited March 2021
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    Anyone else get the dizzies when exercising? Any other solutions out there?

    Only when I haven't drunk enough water.
    For me, it's a reminder to drink more water.

    I get slightly nauseated if I haven't consumed enough electrolytes. So if I'm nauseated and dizzy, it's time to wash down an electrolyte tablet or two with water.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    I tend to get a bit dizzy on the first leg of a run, before my heartrate picks up. I know I occasionally have rather bad orthostatic hypotension and blood pooling. Guess it's related.
  • MissAtomicBomb238
    MissAtomicBomb238 Posts: 65 Member
    This sounds like low blood pressure.

    Also, despite our best intentions to help, sounds like a discussion With your doctor is needed. My dizziness, low heart rate and low bp caused my gp to ask for an EKG which showed lowish QT. Basically just takes my heart too long to beat. However, when the cardiologist saw me and we did a stress test and all that, it was determined that I’m fine but my bp was too low. I was instructed to take salt tabs- especially on heavy exertion days (you know the ones you take on long runs etc) and not restrict sodium. It’s nothing major but don’t mess with heart stuff

    All this to say- consult your dr.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    You might want to get this diagnosed for real, if you haven't.

    Excellent point. I've been speaking with the doc and had the cardiac stress test a couple of years ago. Because it doesn't happen every time, and because my pulse is normal, the likelihood that it's a cardiac problem is low (but never zero). We haven't ruled out an inner ear problem (like @mjbnj0001 and several other people I know). The doc offers to refer me to the inner ear specialist whenever I want to go. I'm sure I have some deficiency in that regard, but my balance is very good overall, so that probably isn't the problem.

    I would have told you that hydration also wasn't a problem, but maybe that's the meat of the issue. @Djproulx provided some good suggestions. I frequently use Nuun, and I often-- in summer-- drink an entire 16oz glass immediately before exercise. So maybe I just need to do that every single time, regardless of temperature. Dropping a magnesium pill afterward could also help.

    Anyway: keep the stories coming. I really like trading notes on this!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    You might want to get this diagnosed for real, if you haven't.

    Excellent point. I've been speaking with the doc and had the cardiac stress test a couple of years ago. Because it doesn't happen every time, and because my pulse is normal, the likelihood that it's a cardiac problem is low (but never zero). We haven't ruled out an inner ear problem (like @mjbnj0001 and several other people I know). The doc offers to refer me to the inner ear specialist whenever I want to go. I'm sure I have some deficiency in that regard, but my balance is very good overall, so that probably isn't the problem.

    I would have told you that hydration also wasn't a problem, but maybe that's the meat of the issue. @Djproulx provided some good suggestions. I frequently use Nuun, and I often-- in summer-- drink an entire 16oz glass immediately before exercise. So maybe I just need to do that every single time, regardless of temperature. Dropping a magnesium pill afterward could also help.

    Anyway: keep the stories coming. I really like trading notes on this!

    See the inner ear guy. When I mentioned worrisome but low probability conditions, I was thinking of a friend who had a mass requiring surgery. In his case, not malignant but still major. Caught earlier, would be somewhat less major.

    Highly unlikely in your case, I'm sure, but see the ear guy.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Hi @AnnPT77, was your friends growth a hemangiomablastoma?

    My son (Ironman triathlete) had this a couple of years ago. Initially dizzy, poor balance, etc and diagnosed as an inner ear problem.

    It took a trip to the emergency room and an off hand comment by the Dr for a diagnosis it is so rare.

    He was operated on within days.
    6weeks recovery, now, 2+ years later, you would never know there had been a problem.

    Back on topic.
    I can, given the right circumstances, get post exertion dizziness but I know the cause- low electrolytes because I don’t like salt. I have to sneak it into food.
    My go to is an Emergen-C.

    Silly story- I carry emergen-C with me when I travel, they work wonders for a mild hangover.

    We were hiking in the heat and humidity of Singapore and I got dizzy, spots in front of my eyes, and pink pin pricks all over my hands a feet.
    I was well hydrated, so knew that wasn’t the problem, so decided to see if an Emergen-C would help.
    I was good to go within 20 min so have stuck with them for pre or post exertion ever since.

    Cheers, h.

    Sorry for the story telling, I must be feeling chatty today. B)
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,204 Member
    middlehaitch wrote: »
    Hi @AnnPT77, was your friends growth a hemangiomablastoma?

    My son (Ironman triathlete) had this a couple of years ago. Initially dizzy, poor balance, etc and diagnosed as an inner ear problem.

    (snip for reply length)

    I don't have full details (casual friend, fellow rower), but I believe it was an acoustic neuroma/vestibular schwannoma, in the case I was thinking of. Symptoms can be balance related (including dizziness), hearing related or maybe both, I think. Another friend had a condition I forget the name of, but it involved cerebro-spinal fluid leaking into places it didn't belong, causing some symptoms in these same realms; also required brain surgery. Both are pretty rare, but not things one would want to mess around with, or let develop into a more severe case.

    OP probably has one of the common things, but I think it's a poor plan to assume that if it's currently minor, and is just an ear thing, it's for sure not worth following up medically. Better safe than sorry, and who knows, there could be some easy solution.
  • mjbnj0001
    mjbnj0001 Posts: 1,266 Member
    Jthanmyfitnesspal wrote: »
    @spiriteagle99 : I get the stand-up dizzies more when I am doing more cardio. This is the idea of trying the magnesium pills after running. The reason NOT to do them BEFORE running is they also affect your digestion and might give you "gastric distress," which is enough of a problem with running without magnesium, it seems.

    @mjbnj0001 : Inner-ear vertigo is a very common problem that several of my friends have gone through. Count yourself lucky if it goes away! I have one colleague who is basically dizzy all the time now and they can't find relief. He's been to the vertigo specialist and everything.

    The exercise-induced dizziness appears to be more due to blood minerals, blood sugar, and heat regulation. They all get harder with age!

    Lucky for now, hopefully for a long time. As a result of this episode, @Jthanmyfitnesspal , I don't take my balance for granted any more. One thing I did was to rent a recumbent tri while on vacation in FL just to get a feel for the things if/when I have more chronic balance issues down the line.

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