“My training partner thinks I skipped breakfast”: the root-based ingredient in that bar turns to gas halfway through the set

'My training partner thinks I skipped breakfast': the root-based ingredient in that bar turns to gas halfway through the set

That mysterious gurgle halfway through your heavy set? Chicory root inulin—a concentrated prebiotic fiber packed into protein bars—ferments rapidly in your gut when blood flow shifts to your muscles. We break down exactly why this happens, how to spot it on labels, and the timing tricks that actually work.

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

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.