“You have to wait half an hour after eating before you can go swimming.” Many of us have heard this outdated statement from our parents, and some have even said it to our children. What does science say about this?
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It is not necessary to take a half-hour break after eating before swimming. This was stated by Dr. Michael Boniface from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota (USA) in a podcast on the official website of the clinic.
This is a common stereotype, most often experienced by children, who are not allowed to swim until 30-60 minutes after eating. It is believed that this measure reduces the risk of drowning.
Dr Bonafis said:
“It is known that after eating, more blood is distributed to the stomach and intestines for digestion, “pulling” blood away from the rest of the body, including the arms and legs. It was believed that this could lead to fatigue and potentially increase the risk of drowning.”
The clinic's spokesperson says there is currently no scientific basis for such claims.
It is true that during digestion, some blood may “shift” from the muscles to the gastrointestinal tract. With reduced blood flow to the muscles, the risk of cramps potentially increases, scientists previously believed.
Cramps are involuntary spasmodic contractions of skeletal muscles during or after exercise, often associated with fatigue. However, most often they are caused by a combination of factors such as dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and nervous fatigue.
Thus, today scientists cannot support the old theory about food, cramps and drowning. According to modern data, no matter how well a person eats, there is enough blood in his muscles for the muscles to work normally.