Marathon trainees planning long runs
If you need energy during a session lasting longer than 60 minutes, plan a suitable carbohydrate-containing snack and fluids. Gum is a separate convenience purchase, not the planned snack.
Who is this for?
Runners keeping gum in several bags
Individual small packs can go in separate bags. For example, ASDA Groceries describes its reviewed Extra multipack as five individual 10-piece packs, while the Mentos product listed by Tesco Groceries is a single 35-piece bottle.
Buyers checking ingredients and warnings
The reviewed Extra, Airwaves and Mentos labels list soya, a source of phenylalanine and an excessive-consumption laxative-effect warning. Check the label on the exact gum you intend to buy.
What should you check first?
Plan what you will take for energy and hydration before deciding whether a gum multipack is useful to carry separately.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel for a longer run | For activity lasting longer than 60 minutes, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says snacks taken for energy should contain carbohydrate and suit the activity. Choose the food or drink for that purpose separately from gum. | I need something suitable to take for energy during a long session, rather than treating a gum multipack as my planned snack. |
| Fluids | Plan what you will drink during and after the session. The NHS advises extra fluids after sweating through physical activity and identifies water as a way to replace lost fluids. | My drinking plan needs to stand on its own; carrying gum does not give me a drink. |
| Pack format | Check the number of pieces and whether they come in separate packs or one container. ASDA Groceries lists the reviewed Extra product as five 10-piece packs; Tesco Groceries lists the reviewed Mentos Fresh Mint product as a 35-piece bottle. | If I keep gum in several bags, separate packs are easier to divide. For one bag, I may prefer a single container. |
| Ingredients and warnings | Read the exact pack’s ingredients, allergy information and sweetener warnings. The reviewed Extra, Airwaves and Mentos labels list soya, a source of phenylalanine and an excessive-consumption laxative-effect warning. | Before buying several packs, I want to know whether the ingredients and warnings matter for me. |
Buying pitfalls
-
Buying gum instead of long-run fuel
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says snacks taken for energy during activity lasting longer than 60 minutes should contain carbohydrate. The reviewed sugar-free gum multipacks should not take the place of that choice.
Plan a suitable carbohydrate-containing food or drink first. Buy gum only if you also want it for separate use.
-
Overlooking the sweetener warning
The reviewed Extra, Airwaves and Mentos labels warn that excessive consumption may produce laxative effects. A multipack is not a reason to treat gum as unlimited-use running nutrition.
Read the warning on the pack you buy and consider when and how often you intend to use it.
-
Assuming sugar-free means suitable for everyone
The reviewed Extra, Airwaves and Mentos products list soya and a source of phenylalanine. “Sugar-free” does not answer those ingredient questions.
Check the current label of the exact product, particularly if you need to avoid either ingredient.
-
Choosing by pack weight alone
The reviewed Extra product has five separate 10-piece packs, whereas the reviewed Mentos Fresh Mint product is a 35-piece bottle. Those formats serve different carrying preferences.
Choose separate packs to place gum in several bags, or a bottle if you prefer to keep it in one container.
Brand and format references
These examples describe specific products listed by UK retailers, not every gum sold under each brand.
Extra
ASDA Groceries lists a reviewed Extra Spearmint sugar-free gum product as five individual 10-piece packs.
- The separate packs can be placed in different bags.
- The reviewed label lists soya, a source of phenylalanine and an excessive-consumption laxative-effect warning. This is a gum-format example, not a marathon-fuel recommendation.
Airwaves
Tesco Groceries describes the reviewed sugar-free multipack as menthol-and-eucalyptus-flavoured gum.
- It offers a multipack option for someone who wants that flavour.
- The reviewed label lists soya, a source of phenylalanine and an excessive-consumption laxative-effect warning; it should not be selected as long-run fuel.
Mentos
Tesco Groceries lists the reviewed Pure Fresh Fresh Mint sugar-free gum in a 35-piece, 70g bottle.
- One bottle keeps the pieces together rather than dividing them into small packs.
- The reviewed label lists soya, a source of phenylalanine and an excessive-consumption laxative-effect warning. A bottle is less convenient when you want gum already divided between bags.
Gum multipack on Joybuy
This multipack is an option for keeping gum in separate bags alongside, not instead of, your long-run food and drink.
No image available
Wrigley Extra Sugar Free Spearmint Gum, 10 pieces × 30
The 30 separate 10-piece packs suit keeping gum in more than one bag. Choose food or drink for long-run energy separately, and check this pack’s current ingredients and warnings before buying.
Common questions
Can sugar-free chewing gum be my marathon-training fuel?
Do not use the reviewed sugar-free gum multipacks as your planned carbohydrate snack for a session lasting longer than 60 minutes. University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust says snacks taken for energy during such activity should contain carbohydrate and suit the activity. Choose suitable food or drink for that purpose; gum can be a separate purchase.
Does chewing gum replace fluids on a long run?
No. Gum is not a drink. The NHS advises drinking extra fluids after sweating through physical activity, so plan what you will drink independently of whether you carry gum.
Should I choose separate gum packs or a bottle?
Choose separate packs if you want to put gum in several bags; choose a bottle if you prefer one container. The reviewed Extra product listed by ASDA Groceries has five individual 10-piece packs, while the reviewed Mentos Fresh Mint product listed by Tesco Groceries is a 35-piece bottle. Neither format changes the fuel decision.
Which ingredients and warnings should I check?
Check the exact gum pack’s ingredients and warnings before buying. The reviewed Extra, Airwaves and Mentos labels list soya and a source of phenylalanine, and warn that excessive consumption may produce laxative effects; do not assume another pack has an identical formulation.