FODMAP Friendly Sports Nutrition

What a funny acronym FODMAP is, yet it is not so funny when you’re intolerant to these specific carbohydrate groups and you find yourself in a port-a-loo on course questioning your life choices. FODMAP stands for ‘fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols’. These are short-chain carbohydrates which can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine, leading them to ferment in the large intestine resulting in gut issues such as constipation, diarrhoea, cramping, gas and bloating. 

Many people have now recognised that they are sensitive to these short-chain carbohydrates as more research and education has been spread about FODMAP symptoms and acknowledging that living in such discomfort is not normal and can be addressed.

FODMAP friendly foods are becoming ever more popular in the nutrition world with many companies making FODMAP friendly sports nutrition. This is great for the endurance world as many clients come to see me as a dietitian to try and resolve gut issues that always seam to pop up when they hit the run leg.

To help all those FODMAP athletes out as well as those who have resonated with the above scenario and are looking to perhaps change up their nutritional choices on course or in training, I have summarised some products found on Aid Station that you should choose if you have a sensitive gut or follow a FODMAP diet.

Hydration

People often don’t think about their hydration choices as potentially leading to gut problems, however just like food, gels and energy sources, hydration products too can have ingredients in them that can play havoc on your gut.

Things to avoid in your nutrition products are fructose and high fructose corn syrup. These are a big no no and will almost certainly send you to the toilet or provide you with some extra help with a bit of steam coming out the back end.

Also be mindful of added whey protein as this can contain lactose, a high FODMAP carbohydrate. Protein has become the hype and king macronutrient of the nutrition world over the last few years and therefore many nutrition companies have thought it to be a good selling point if they fortify their recipe with protein. Not helpful for FODMAP athletes. Be careful of this and avoid product packaging that reads high protein or protein gel etc.

Some great FODMAP friendly hydration products include: 

• Skratch Labs Sport Hydration Mix – Lemon & Lime, Strawberries, Strawberry Lemonade

• Tailwind Nutrition Endurance Fuel – Naked Unflavored, Lemon, Mandarin Orange, and Berry

• GU Hydration Drink Tablets – Lemon Lime, Strawberry Lemonade, and Tri Berry

Gels and Energy Supplements

Gels are hands down the athletes choice for energy intake across endurance sports. They are convenient, simple and portable across long races. Gels can be used a pre and during race nutrition as well as an energy source during long training sessions. Many gels contain fructose. Fructose is a high FODMAP carbohydrate and therefore you must choose your gels wisely if you follow a low FODMAP diet. Low FODMAP carbohydrate sources in sports nutrition include;

• Glucose

• Sugar

• Sucrose 

• Dextrose

• Maltodextrin

• Maltose

• Pure cane sugar

• Cane Sugar

• Maple syrup

Some great low FODMAP gels include;

• Untapped Energy Gels

• SiS gels

• Koda gels

• High5 - Energy Gel Aqua - Orange-Orange / Single (66g)

• Huma Gel - Original - Lemonade (with caffeine)-Lemonade (with caffeine) / Single

• Pure Sports Nutrition - Fluid Energy Gels - Orange-Orange / Single (50g)

• Näak - Ultra Energy Puree - Sweet Potatoes & Butternut Squash-Sweet Potatoes & Butternut Squash / Single-serve (90g)

• Rawvelo - Energy Gel - Blood Orange-Blood Orange / Single (50g)

• Clif Blocks – Citrus, Ginger Ale, Orange with Caffeine, and Margarita

It is important to note that natural flavours are not a FODMAP concern as they rarely contain high FODMAP ingredients. These are often added to sports nutrition products to create a sweet or fruit flavour. A sports product may be labelled pear however it is very unlikely to contain actual pear. If it does contain real pear or other high fructose fruit it will be written in the ingredients list. This can be found on the back of the packaging.

It’s great that we have FODMAP friendly sports nutrition products on the market now, however there are still many sports nutrition products available that can wreak havoc on your race or training. What’s your favourite FODMAP friendly sports nutrition products? Let me know on instagram @ashthomo_nutrition. 

Ash Miller
Dietitian and Nutritionist (Masters)
Bachelor of Physical and Health Education
Instagram: @ashthomo_nutrition