If you’ve ever taken an energy gel mid-run and immediately regretted it… you’re not alone.
At Kendal Mint Co, our gels are designed around one big idea: fuel should feel easy. That starts with mouth-feel and texture (because digestion doesn’t begin in your stomach — it starts the moment you taste something). And it’s why the mint you taste isn’t just “flavour” — it’s part of a formula designed to feel calm and refreshing when you’re working hard.
The other piece of the puzzle is our B vitamin blend: B3, B5, B6 and B12 — included because these vitamins are deeply involved in how the body processes and uses energy. (Not as a magic “boost”, but as essential helpers in the pathways that turn fuel into usable energy.)
First: why peppermint shows up in a gel at all
Peppermint oil is used in medicine as an antispasmodic, and is commonly used to help relieve stomach cramps, bloating and related gut symptoms (particularly in IBS).
Researchers describe peppermint oil’s main GI effect as smooth muscle relaxation, thought to be linked to menthol interacting with calcium channels in the gut. A meta-analysis of randomised trials also reports peppermint oil can help improve IBS symptoms overall.
Now, we’re not saying an energy gel is a medicine — but this is the “why” behind the minty, refreshing direction: in the real world, athletes want fuel that feels clean and doesn’t make the stomach feel like it’s doing backflips.
The B vitamin blend: what each one actually does
B3 (Niacin): the “energy conversion” vitamin
Niacin is converted in the body into NAD and NADP, coenzymes required by hundreds of enzymes involved in metabolic reactions. That matters because NAD/NADP are central to cellular energy pathways.
Athlete translation: B3 supports the machinery that helps your body turn the carbs you take in into usable energy at the cellular level.
B5 (Pantothenic acid): Coenzyme A (CoA) builder
Pantothenic acid’s main function is helping the body make coenzyme A (CoA), which is essential for a wide range of anabolic and catabolic processes — including fat metabolism and acetyl/acyl group transfer.
Athlete translation: B5 supports the “metabolic toolbox” that helps you process fats and carbs efficiently — especially useful when training volume is high.
B6 (Pyridoxine): glycogen + haemoglobin support
Vitamin B6 is involved in gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis (the process of breaking down stored glycogen), and is also involved in haemoglobin formation.
Athlete translation: B6 supports access to stored energy (glycogen) and supports the formation of haemoglobin — key for oxygen transport.
B12 (Cobalamin): red blood cells + key enzyme cofactor
Vitamin B12 is required for healthy red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis. It also acts as a cofactor for two enzymes: methionine synthase and L-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (important in metabolic pathways).
Athlete translation: B12 supports normal red blood cell function and essential metabolism — but it’s not a stimulant. It’s part of the system, not a shortcut.
So why include these in a gel?
Because gels are usually used at the exact moment your body is under pressure: high heart rate, high effort, blood diverted away from digestion, and a stomach that can get picky.
KMC’s approach is:
- Make the gel feel easier to take (texture/mouth-feel)
- Keep the flavour refreshing and kind to your digestive system.
- Support the body’s normal energy pathways with B vitamins that play key roles in metabolism (B3, B5, B6, B12)
It’s not “magic energy”. It’s smart fuelling design — built around how athletes actually feel during training and racing.
Practical takeaway for runners and cyclists
If you’re getting gut issues from gels, don’t just blame your stomach — look at:
- Texture and taste (if you dread taking it, you’ll delay it… then bonk)
- Try gels in training, not for the first time on race day
- Fuel little and often (most people tolerate smaller, consistent hits better)
- Consider mint-forward options if you prefer a fresher taste profile
References
Alammar, N., Wang, L., Saberi, B., Nanavati, J., Holtmann, G., Shinohara, R.T. and Mullin, G.E. (2019) ‘The impact of peppermint oil on the irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis of the pooled clinical data’, BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 19.
National Health Service (NHS) (n.d.) ‘About peppermint oil’.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements (n.d.) ‘Niacin: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals’. Available at:
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements (n.d.) ‘Pantothenic Acid: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals’.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements (n.d.) ‘Vitamin B6: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals’.
National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Dietary Supplements (n.d.) ‘Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals’.
Grigoleit, H.G. and Grigoleit, P. (2005) ‘Pharmacology and preclinical pharmacokinetics of peppermint oil’, Phytomedicine, 12(8), pp. 612–616.