DO YOU SUFFER FROM EXERCISE INDUCED ASTHMA ?

Many very fit and healthy athletes have exercise-induced Asthma.  It is characterised by coughing, wheezing and a feeling of suffocation or tight chest brought on by riding and other exertions.  Only a doctor can diagnose EIA but if you answer yes to either of these questions, rather get checked out :

1.    When you feel out of breath on a ride, do you cough, wheeze, gulp for air or exhale in long, ragged breaths ?  The normal breathing pattern for cyclists under exertion is frantic, but even breathing.

2.    Do you begin coughing after six minutes of hard (85% of max) riding ?  EIA sticks to a schedule – the decrease in airflow will peak in another six minutes (that’s 12 minutes after you began riding at 85% of max), then gradually returns to normal over the next 2 hours.

Can you ride well despite it ?

Doctors can prescribe medication.  But here are four fixes you can do without drugs :

-       Warm your inhaled air.  If it’s cold enough for tights and gloves, try a mask or balaclava.

-       Ride regularly.  Training three to five times a week teaches your bronchial tubes to widen and conduct more air, partially offsetting EIA.

-       Skip bananas.  Some can’t eat certain foods like shrimp, celery, peanuts, egg whites and almonds.

-       Induce EIA.  If you ride through the worst six minutes of coughing, you gradually return to normal and won’t suffer again if you keep riding.