As runners, hikers, climbers, and cyclists try to optimize their performance in every way possible, they’re turning to a new obsession: fibermaxxing. People on social media promote it as a nutrition hack. The goal? Increasing your fiber intake for better microbiome health.
Consuming enough fiber typically means eating more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. These foods also provide important vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients (substances like carotenoids that plants naturally produce and protect the body against disease), which your body needs to train consistently and recover well.
Certain fibers are fermented in the gut and converted into short-chain fatty acids that support the gut barrier and help regulate inflammation. “Short-chain fatty acids are a catch-all: energy source, anti-inflammatory, and reinforcement for the gut lining,” Savita Srivastava, a Virginia-based gastroenterologist, tells Outside. “They are the unsung heroes in gut health.”
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