s3/e43 Gut Health for Runners with Kylee Van Horn, RND (@flynutrition3)

Hydration

Understanding optimal hydration strategies is crucial for preventing GI distress during runs. Kylee Van Horn emphasizes that many athletes underestimate their hydration needs, often leading to decreased energy levels and poor performance. She shares that athletes often realize significant improvements in energy and performance once they adjust their hydration habits 1.

I've had athletes that don't hydrate much during and then afterwards they're not consuming fluids and or electrolytes. And then they start doing that and they're like, oh my gosh, my energy is so much better.

--- Kylee Van Horn

Kylee suggests incorporating carbohydrates, fluids, and electrolytes into pre-run routines, even if time is limited, to enhance performance and reduce GI issues 2.

   

Gut Training

Training the gut to handle more carbohydrates and fluids is essential for runners aiming to optimize their performance. Kylee Van Horn explains that the gut can adapt to increased carbohydrate intake through gradual exposure, enhancing glucose and sodium transporter activity 3.

There are actual physical adaptations that occur in the intestines that can increase the number of glucose, sodium transporters in the gut with higher use of carbohydrate during exercise.

--- Kylee Van Horn

She advises starting with small amounts of food or drink and gradually increasing intake to improve tolerance and performance, framing it as a personal experiment to find what works best for each individual 4.