Why do I have to spit so much?

[BFD]

Am I not eating something before I ride that I should be eating?
Am I eating something I shouldn’t?

During the first 10 to 40 minutes of any ride I have an ungodly amount of (for lack of a better word) spit/bile that builds up in my mouth and begs to be expressed. It doesn’t matter if I drink a ton of water before or during that first leg of the ride – it just seems to happen during every ride.
Frustrating and sickly feeling.

What am I doing wrong?

BFD

[Code_Rage]

Is this something that has just started or always have been a problem? I know when I have some chest or sinus congestion all that stuff wants to drain/evacuate during the beginning of my rides.

[brianW]

Congestion breaking up? This happens to me at times, plus snott, when cetain pollen is in the air.

[BFD]

I can’t say if this has always gone on, but I know that as an adult it’s been happening for a few years…I also have crazy allergy like symptoms after a ride and am wondering if I should take an antihistamine before a ride? Wouldn’t this effect my performance? Could the two be related?
P.S. I do use an inhaler prior to every ride but I can’t imagine that this would be the cause?

[cjm]

Is it really bile? Or, is it just saliva?

Bile is like a stomach acid it will burn like blowing chunks when it comes up. If that’s it adjust your pre-ride diet. Everyone metabolizes thing differently. I can, and have eaten a pound of bacon before a ride no problem. Any more than a few slices of citrus and I am wishing I could hork. I know others that only eat oranges pre-ride with no problems, while they get sick just watching me pound away the swine. If diet doesn’t fix it, a trip to the M.D. might be in line. Releasing stomach bile on a regular basis could be symptom of a host of medical problems. (http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pa … /bile.html

If it’s just saliva, make sure you are hydrated before your ride. Depending on your body it can take anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour for water work its way through your system. Generally, if your pee isn’t clear you not fully hydrated. (http://www.urinecolors.com/clear_urine_color.php).

[Code_Rage]

"BFD" wrote

P.S. I do use an inhaler prior to every ride but I can’t imagine that this would be the cause?

Most anti-asthma drugs use a bronchial dilator and expectorant combo. This could be reason for the chest congestion needing to be expressed. Before your ride you may want to take something like mucinex to get most of your chest congestion out before your ride, or at least break it up so it comes out quicker. I wouldn’t make a religious practice though.

Benadryl can make you drowsy. If it is only after your ride I would take a banadryl or 2 as I pack up to leave. Those symptoms could very well be allergies.

I would also like to say that I am no doctor nor have I had any medical training. I would advise you to go see your doctor if this really concerns you.

[Badcrow]

Happened to me today as well, it was pure thick saliva but I knew before heading out I was congested. Are you a smoker? Are you active other then biking? I know a few of my smoker buddies have this issue at the start of the season and tend to knock loose some of the bad stuff during the first few rides of the year.

As said above bile or stomach acid would leave a burning sensation at the back of your throat through the ride.

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

"BFD" wrote

Am I not eating something before I ride that I should be eating?
Am I eating something I shouldn’t?

During the first 10 to 40 minutes of any ride I have an ungodly amount of (for lack of a better word) spit/bile that builds up in my mouth and begs to be expressed. It doesn’t matter if I drink a ton of water before or during that first leg of the ride – it just seems to happen during every ride.
Frustrating and sickly feeling.

What am I doing wrong?

BFD

is it cold out? i always have to spit more when its cold… but i have some sort of chronic allergies, and i take claritin (loratadine) for it everyday, and that really helps keep my sinuses dry. if your nose is plugged, taking a nose spray like zicam allergy regularly will help. benadryl at night could only help. i would have said drink more water, but sounds like you’re already doing that. also, just straight up working out on a consistent basis seems to help me as well.

"BFD" wrote

I can’t say if this has always gone on, but I know that as an adult it’s been happening for a few years…I also have crazy allergy like symptoms after a ride and am wondering if I should take an antihistamine before a ride? Wouldn’t this effect my performance? Could the two be related?
P.S. I do use an inhaler prior to every ride but I can’t imagine that this would be the cause?

ah sorry didn’t see this… yeh, claritin is an antihistamine, and no it won’t affect your performance, i have taken at least one a day for the past several years and can really feel it when i don’t take it.

[BFD]

Goo, I think you’re onto something…I had taken claritin in years past for SEVERE allergies, but I lived in California at the time.
I had thought that my allergies were so low-key since I moved to Colorado 4 years ago that it wasn’t affecting me in any real way…but now I’m thinking that I need to restart some sort of anti-allergy regimen again.

Either way, I can say that I’m going to be upping my water intake, although I thought that I was doing enough already; it can only help to drink more. Right?

Mongoose, where do you ride? All I’ve seen lately are Clydsdales 😆

Thanks for all the input guys, with your advice in mind I’ll be hitting the trails with (hopefully) a more enjoyable experience!
BFD

[Greg Heil ✓ supporter]

"BFD" wrote

Goo, I think you’re onto something…I had taken claritin in years past for SEVERE allergies, but I lived in California at the time.
I had thought that my allergies were so low-key since I moved to Colorado 4 years ago that it wasn’t affecting me in any real way…but now I’m thinking that I need to restart some sort of anti-allergy regimen again.

Either way, I can say that I’m going to be upping my water intake, although I thought that I was doing enough already; it can only help to drink more. Right?

Mongoose, where do you ride? All I’ve seen lately are Clydsdales 😆

Thanks for all the input guys, with your advice in mind I’ll be hitting the trails with (hopefully) a more enjoyable experience!
BFD

yeah, it can be confusing. i worked in colorado over the summer, and i lived at 9,000 feet and it seemed to really keep my sinuses dry. but yeh, can be confusing because it feels like there are so many factors that can play into it, its hard to isolate the variables and deal with them.

glad i could be of some help! good luck.

[EZ-E]

Wow…who woulda thunk that a thread about SPIT would be so popular!?! And furthermore…with alot of restraint and maturity, at that!

I think I know the ‘sludge’ you’re talking about – I totally agree with the comments regarding allergies. I have a couple other suggestions to try in concert with the allergy medicine:

1. You’re already doing this, but in addition to hydrating all day before a ride, I sip on a MEGAsize cup of water during the drive to the trailhead.

2. Use what’s left of your water to do a hard swish and spit at the trail head when you’re getting ready to roll. Make sure to start sipping from your camelback right when you start riding – some people don’t think and ride til they’re thirsty which means you’re already dehydrated.

3. You may even want to get a travel size bottle of mouthwash like Scope Peppermint that you can swish and spit before your ride that might clear your mouth out.

4. Make sure that along with all the water you’re drinking, that you are getting some salts and electrolytes to ensure absorption. There are tons of electrolyte sources you can research. Maybe also try Trail mix, salty nuts, etc along with your pre-ride water that may help.

Hey Mongoose…where are the ‘trail photos’ of all these hot girls riding in bikini tops?!? I’ll be checking the Markham and Oleta trail pages more often now!

[BFD]

Thanks to all of you fine folks and your great suggestions for my afformentioned problem with "Too Much Spit".

I went for a ride at Apex Park/Trail this past sunday with a full belly of water/electrolytes/pottasium/claritin and a few puffs on my inhaler and I had an awesome ride with no problems with excess spit! No Sh*t!

Thanks again.

Next stop…Pine to Waterton Canyon!

[Author]

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