gut health

I swallowed a protein bar in the car before every run just to top up on protein: twenty minutes in, I understood what one ingredient on that wrapper had been doing to my gut

by
I swallowed a protein bar in the car before every run just to top up on protein: twenty minutes in, I understood what one ...

That protein bar you’ve been eating before every run might be sabotaging your digestive system. Hidden ingredients like chicory root inulin and maltitol ferment rapidly in your gut, and when combined with the blood flow changes triggered by exercise, they create the perfect storm for cramping, bloating, and worse.

We all keep blaming gluten for mid-run cramps, while these two ingredients eaten 3 hours before are what actually sends us running for a toilet

by
We all keep blaming gluten for mid-run cramps, while these two ingredients eaten 3 hours before are what actually sends us...

Gluten takes the blame for runner’s stomach troubles, but sports science reveals the real culprits: fat and fiber eaten too close to exercise. When these slow-digesting nutrients combine with reduced gut blood flow during running, the result is cramping, bloating, and urgency—not gluten sensitivity.