Doug Freese wrote:
> According to Sam the G lab does some great testing which has resulted in
> what I would consider a questionable endurance formula. I have no idea
> about the taste since I find the label alone repulsive. When I compare
> labels all I see is the same 14G of carbs from sugar(and no details in
> either label of the sugar source) with Na going from 110mg to 200mg and
> K 30mg to 90mg. The increase in salt is needed for longer races but I
> question the value of the increase in K. IMO, it's still cheap sugar
> water with more Na and K. If they had changed the source of the carbs I
> might think they were serious about creating a real endurance drink but
> as we all know the bottom line is money and sucrose/fructose keeps the
> cost down and the profits ups.
In reading the "The Endurance Athlete's GUIDE to SUCCESS," a 68 page
document by Hammer Nutrition
https://www.e-caps.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf,
I came accross something that I never heard of before. Mainly that
maltodextrin based sports drinks match body fluid osmolality at a much
higher conentration (15-18%), rather than the normal 6-8% with simple
sugar-based drinks.
They recommend (for a body weight of 155-190 pounds) 2.5 to 2.75
scoops/hour. 2.5 scoops mixed with 12 oz of water would be 250
calories, 62g of carbs. By my calculatioin this is 17.6% carb
concentration. Am I missing something here. This seems like quite a
departure from what I normally reed.
>From https://www.e-caps.com/downloads/fuelinghandbook.pdf
"For endurance athletes, the primary problem
with fuels containing simple sugars is that they
must be mixed in weak 6-8% solutions in order
to match body fluid osmolality and thus be
digested with any efficiency. Unfortunately,
solutions mixed and consumed at this concentration
only provide about 100 calories per
h o u r, totally inadequate for maintaining energy
production on an hourly basis. Using a 6-8%
solution to obtain adequate calories means
your fluid intake becomes so high to cause discomfort,
bloating, and possibly oversupplying
your body to the point of fluid intoxication.
You can't make a "double or triple strength"
mixture from a simple sugar-based carbohydrate
fuel in the hopes of obtaining adequate
calories because the concentration of that
mixture, now far beyond the 6-8% mark, will
remain in your stomach until sufficiently
diluted, which may cause substantial stomach
distress. You can drink more fluids in the
hopes of "self diluting" the overly concentrated
mixture, but remember that you'll increase
the risk of over-hydration. However, if you
don't dilute with more water and electrolytes,
your body will recruit these from other areas
that critically need them and divert them to
the digestive system to deal with the concentrated
simple sugar mix. This can result in a
variety of stomach-related distresses, not to
mention increased cramping potential.
Simply put, simple sugar-based drinks or gels
have to be mixed and consumed at very dilute
calorically weak concentrations in order to be
digested with any efficiency. A simple sugarbased
product used at a properly mixed
concentration cannot provide adequate calories
to sustain energy production. Any way
you look at it, fuels containing simple sugars
are an inefficient, inappropriate way to fuel
your body during prolonged exercise.
Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) are
the wisest choice for endurance athletes, as
they allow your digestive system to rapidly
and efficiently process a greater volume of
calories, providing steady energy. Unlike simple
sugars, which match body fluid osmolality
at 6-8% solutions, complex carbohydrates
match body fluid osmolality at substantially
more concentrated 15-18% solutions. Even at
this seemingly high concentration, complex
carbohydrates (such as maltodextrins and
glucose polymers) will empty the stomach at
the same efficient rate as normal body fluids
and provide up to three times more energy
than simple sugar mixtures, which means
you can fulfill your caloric requirements without
running the risk of over-hydration or a
variety of stomach related maladies.
Recommendation :
To get the proper amount of easily digested
calories, rely on fuels that use complex carbohydrates
(maltodextrins or glucose polymers) only, with no added
simple sugar as their carbohydrate
source. Hammer Gel and Hammer
HEED are ideal for workouts and races of up
to two hours. For longer workouts and races,
select Perpetuem or Sustained Energy as your
primary fuel choice."
--
Phil M.
