Causes of the blood taste on hard efforts

[Dr_Mutley]

You know you are deep in the red when this happens... Causes?
No EPO answers please!
Many get it?
Discuss

[sogood]

Blood taste? Did you mean a 0.9% heavy salted taste? Maybe it's the sweat running down to your lips that you are tasting. If you have said it was a blood smell, then that's completely different.

[Dr_Mutley]

No definite blood/metallic taste...

[Dr_Mutley]

Here's an excerpt from Taylor Hamilton's book where he alludes to it...

“I launched off the ramp and cut into the first corner at full speed, with Carmichael following in a team car. I kept pushing, going right to the limit and staying there. I can tell I’m at the limit when I can taste a little bit of blood in my mouth, and that’s how I stayed, right on the edge.”

[outnabike]

Hi Dr_Mutley,
If you heart is ok, I would think you may need to drink more? Also check out if you have those silver fillings if you have them,in your teeth some contained mercury.

[Jesmol]

Is it possible your getting bleeding in your nasal cavity that is dripping into the back of your throat ?

[Dr_Mutley]

My hearts fine... An echocardiogram (for no particular reason except I have access to one) shows I have the heart of an athlete! (just the body of a slob )

[RonK]

No definite blood/metallic taste...

I used to get that taste, but I don't get it any more since I finally realised what was causing it (for me anyway), and started wearing a cap under my helmet.

Simply put, there is a tiny tube that connects the eyes to the nasal cavity. Sweat runs into the eyes and drains down this tube into the back of the mouth. It has a nasty metallic taste but it's not blood. Sweat hard enough and it'll start running out the nose as well.

The cap stops sweat from running into my eyes. Bingo - no more runny nose, no more bad taste.

[outnabike]

Some info here suggests it originates from the lungs.
http://tridoc7.com/why-runners-taste-blood/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[sogood]

Some info here suggests it originates from the lungs.
http://tridoc7.com/why-runners-taste-blood/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That article is so funny with lines like this,

This only occurred when I exceeded my maximum heart rate

Dismissed. Next.

[Dr_Mutley]

No definite blood/metallic taste...

I used to get that taste, but I don't get it any more since I finally realised what was causing it (for me anyway), and started wearing a cap under my helmet.

Simply put, there is a tiny tube that connects the eyes to the nasal cavity. Sweat runs into the eyes and drains down this tube into the back of the mouth. It has a nasty metallic taste but it's not blood. Sweat hard enough and it'll start running out the nose as well.

The cap stops sweat from running into my eyes. Bingo - no more runny nose, no more bad taste.

Mine is different... My nasolacrimal ducts are well blocked/plugged up...

[nescius]

I'm not sure what causes it but I know what you mean, metallic taste after hard efforts. I usually only get it after a longer TT or a hard indoor session where I don't get any recovery like I would during a road race or a crit. I used to get the same taste after a 2k erg or a race effort when I was rowing as well. I don't have any fillings so it's not any actual metal in my mouth, I guess it could be sweat as suggested by RonK but I would have thought it would be salty rather than metallic.

[twizzle]

Been there, done that - no idea as to the cause, but I'd like to know as well!

[Dr_Mutley]

I think mine is more of a heart/lung cause...
Common cardiopulmonary theories range from:
•pulmonary vessel congestion due to substantially increased cardiac outputs and pulmonary pressures, resulting in leakage of blood across the alveolar membrane into the smaller airways
•exercised induced (mild) pulmonary oedema
•high output pulmonary oedema as seen in thoroughbred racehorses

I can reproduce bloody/metallic taste at will on climbs by going deep into the red for long periods (ie just short of that hazy, darkening of vision phase). First thing I notice is a mild exploratory wheeze, and soon after the taste becomes quite apparent. I can also (sometimes) experience a cough post exercise, which also contains the same taste...

Seems it doesn't happen to everyone, but I'm interested to hear there's a few "athletes" on BNA who can associate that taste with high intensity activity...

[sogood]

Looks like I have never ridden hard enough...

[toolonglegs]

It is the gases let off by the lactic acid boiling after hard efforts.

[Redbull]

If you Eddy Merckx then the answer is obvious...............

You don't have a nick name like The Cannibal for nothing

[Dr_Mutley]

Looks like I have never ridden hard enough...

lol

[eveready2]

It is the gases let off by the lactic acid boiling after hard efforts.

I would agree. I always thought it was to do with lactic acid. It is not very pleasant, but nothing too sinister

[Spiza]

I've had the same thing happen twice - blood/metalic/copper taste in my mouth. Both times it's been after a sudden big effort (really digging deep) with no proper warm up. I was also coming back from a few weeks off the bike so my fitness level had dropped.

It also took an unusually long time for my HR to recover and I felt sick and a little light headed for about 15-20min afterwards. I Googled it both times and couldn't find a convincing answer.

[warthog1]

I can reproduce bloody/metallic taste at will on climbs by going deep into the red for long periods (ie just short of that hazy, darkening of vision phase). ...

I have never gone that hard

Nice work

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Ketosis? I don't know a lot about it, but after you've exhausted available carbs, you start burning purely fat. It causes the production of ketones, such as acetone, which makes your mouth taste funny. Peeing on one of those little sticks will let you know.

[gabrielle260]

I'm no medical person but I have learned for me the way I know I am in ketosis is that my sweat suddenly starts smelling very strongly of ammonia. It normally starts somewhere between 140 - 160 kms into a 200.
Andrew

[brentono]

Particularly noticed it under extra heavy exertion on the Track, or in a Criterium,
especially at high temperatures, especially in the day, when there is less oxygen in the air,
at which point your metabolism is over heating and it's actually a result
of the alveoli in your lungs being overtaxed; in their hurry to transfer CO2
back out of your blood stream, some of the blood cells themselves
are pushed through the alveolar walls,
which you then breathe out as an aerosol and taste on your tongue.
I'm no Doctor, but these were my experiences. Nothing to worry about.
Push harder, push throught it. The difference between winning, and losing.
Cheers

[toolonglegs]

It is the gases let off by the lactic acid boiling after hard efforts.

I would agree. I always thought it was to do with lactic acid. It is not very pleasant, but nothing too sinister

You would agree ...