Episode 36 : Gels, Bars & Powders Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Fuel ⛽

Episode 36 : Gels, Bars & Powders Your Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right Fuel ⛽💬 Got a question or feedback? Write us at: [email protected]☕ Buy a Gel Caf for Lactate to support the work: ko-fi.com/lactateSummary:From the strychnine cocktails of 1904 to the hydrogel technology fueling modern sub-2-hour marathons, sports nutrition has evolved from dangerous folklore to precise molecular engineering designed to bypass physiological bottlenecks. The primary limiter in endurance efforts exceeding 90 minutes is glycogen depletion, yet the body’s SGLT1 intestinal transporter saturates at a "speed limit" of roughly 60g/h; exceeding this with single-source carbs leads to GI distress rather than performance gains. To unlock higher oxidation rates, elite protocols utilize multiple transportable carbohydrates—specifically a Glucose:Fructose ratio (classically 2:1, now optimizing toward 1:0.8)—to engage the independent GLUT5 transporter, allowing intake of 90-120g/h and oxidation rates up to 1.75g/min. While elites spend 6-10 weeks "training the gut" to tolerate these volumes, you should aim for a safe baseline of 60g/h using isotonic gels or drink mixes every 20 minutes, avoiding solids during high-intensity efforts (>75% VO₂max) where gastric emptying slows significantly. Always chase hypertonic gels with water to prevent the duodenal brake from trapping fluid in your gut, a critical mistake that leads to dehydration and bloating.Keywords: sports nutrition, glycogen depletion, sglt1 transporter, hydrogel, glucose fructose ratio, gastric emptying, endurance fueling, bonking, gut training, isotonic.🎙️ Lactate, the podcast that deciphers science to improve your performance.Key references :Coyle, E. F., Coggan, A. R., Hemmert, M. K., & Ivy, J. L. (1986). Muscle glycogen utilization during prolonged strenuous exercise when fed carbohydrate. Journal of Applied Physiology, 61(1), 165-172.Jentjens, R. L., et al. (2004). Oxidation of combined ingestion of glucose and fructose during exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology, 96(4), 1277-1284.Jeukendrup, A. E. (2004). Carbohydrate intake during exercise and performance. Nutrition, 20(7-8), 669-677.King, A., et al. (2020). Carbohydrate Hydrogel Products Do Not Improve Performance or Gastrointestinal Distress During Moderate-Intensity Endurance Exercise. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 30(5), 305-314.Rowe, J. T., et al. (2022). Graphite-hydrogel ingestion improves 5-km running performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). (2016). Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(3), 543-568.Voices generated by artificial intelligence from the scientific report produced by the Lactate team.