Also, here’s a blog post I recently wrote answering a question from an endurance athletes about gas…

Question: I’ve been a cyclist for 8 years, and the one thing that I’ve really noticed is that I have *way* more gas than all my non-cycling friends. Is it normal for endurance athletes to be excessively flatulent? Is there anything I can do about it?

Answer: Yes and yes!

Endurance athletes need heavy amounts of carbohydrate based fuel. When this sugary fuel meets up with the bacteria in your stomach, digestion and fermentation produces CO2 – the gassy bloating bane of cyclists, marathoners and triathletes worldwide!

Aside from abnormal reasons such as food allergies, insensitivies, and intolerances (i.e. lactate or gluten), heavy flatulence is fairly normal among endurance athletes.

So what can you do? Here’s my top gas-controlling tips:

1) Avoid starches if you don’t need them. Standing at Starbucks deliberating between the fat-free muffin and the raspberry oat bar? Not going on a ride or a run anytime soon? Then leave them both and snag the roasted almonds.

2) Consume digestive enzymes to “pre-digest” some of the carbohydrates before they hit your large intestine. You can find digestive enzymes in many supplements these days.

3) Pay attention to fiber intake. Just because veggies and fruits are high in anti-oxidants doesn’t mean you have to eat them with every meal. Fiber is also a potent gas contributor, so don’t just eat plants blindly. Note your intake and note your gas tolerance to fiber. Taking Beano before plant-based meals can also help.

4) Add a little bit of apple cider or wine vinegar to any type of beans, lentils, or legumes during the last 10 minutes of cooking. This helps break down the starches before they reach your gut.

5) Take Lactaid or DairyEase prior to dairy based meals if you suspect you may be lactose intolerant – and only consume dairy foods that have a high amount of natural sugar enzymes, like yogurt or kefir.

6) Drink water before or after, but NOT during your meal, as water can “gulp down gas”. Avoid sparkling water and carbonated beverages, especially while eating.

7) Check your sports supplements, powders, bars and beverages for sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. These are notorious gas producers.

8 ) Ditch the figs. Despite popular lore that figs, raisins and dates are wonderful convenient energy sources for endurance exercise, any athlete with years of experience will tell you that these dried fruits draw water into the colon, produce boat-loads of gas and are a sure-fire way to give you the trots.

With a few lifestyle changes, you can beat the gas and still have ample energy stores. Good luck!