Energy gels are concentrated sports drinks with complex carbohydrates and electrolytes, packaged in single-serving packets for easy consumption during exercise. They provide quick energy and help mitigate lactic acid buildup, but should not be considered a hydrating element. Gatorade is a well-known sports recovery drink.
Energy gels are sports drink concentrates that have been thickened with an agent to a gel-like texture. They are all loaded with complex carbohydrates, mostly derived from simple sugars, glucose or fructose. Most also contain electrolytes, compounds that contain free ions, to replace electrically conductive nutrients consumed by muscle cells during respiration. Due to their high calorie content, they are popularly consumed as fuel for vigorous exercise.
Energy gels are typically packaged in single-serving disposable packets to be squeezed and consumed by mouth. Larger packages are available with reclosable spouts or other openings. Some gels are processed into a crystalline form and molded into solids, such as chewy sticks and “jelly beans.”
Sometimes called endurance or running gels, these products are superbly transportable and therefore popular with endurance athletes such as cyclists, runners, and walkers. Ounce for ounce, energy gels provide substantial fuel for any sport. Additionally, the nutritional gel helps mitigate the buildup of lactic acid in the blood that occurs when muscles are stressed from a lack of oxygen.
One of the best-known sports recovery drinks, formulated by the University of Florida and produced worldwide by the PepsiCo Inc. company, is Gatorade. Proper hydration with water during prolonged exercise has always been a given, but to give its Gators football players an extra name, the University added carbohydrates and electrolytes that are depleted by the body’s working muscles. Energy drinks, gels, and solid bars from Gatorade and other companies fill a large global demand for sports supplements.
The exact ingredients will vary from brand to brand, but they do share some commonalities. First and foremost, they are intended to provide energy to the muscles quickly, and therefore generally do not contain fat, protein, fiber, or other less easily digested ingredients. Energy comes from carbohydrates, including the sugar and glucose chain derived from maltodextrins. Most gels will also contain electrolytes, amino acids, and the catalytic enzymes needed for muscle cells to convert sugar into mechanical energy. Other brand-specific ingredients may include caffeine, which aids in anaerobic muscular respiration when oxygen supply is reduced, as well as vitamins, ginger, and other herbal extracts.
A rough guideline, variable by athlete, for a sports gel to effectively increase blood sugar levels, improve strength performance, and extend muscular endurance is 30 to 45 minutes. Accordingly, one packet should be consumed before the start of physical activity and, in the case of resistance exercises, the packets should be consumed at regular intervals. It is important to note that energy gels contain very little water and should not be considered a hydrating element. It is imperative to consume adequate water during strenuous exercise to avoid dehydration.
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