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
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.