Performance or Endurance: SiS GO vs BETA.
Which one works best for you?

You’ve heard us say it before: Fuelling isn’t one-size-fits-all. The products you need, how much you need, and the timing depend on the physical and mental demands of the exercise you’re undertaking. For example, your 60-minute HIIT session needs different fuelling than a half-marathon.

Many athletes get their nutrition strategy wrong – they under-fuel and subsequently ‘hit the wall’ or over-fuel and face stomach issues halfway through.
At Science in Sport, we’ve created two precision-engineered starter packs that give you exactly what you need for specific exercise durations and intensities, produced especially for anyone new to performance nutrition. 

The Performance Pack

Ideal for gym-goers undertaking circuit training, HIIT classes, 5-10k runs, team sports or anything that requires high-intensity exercise lasting under 90-minutes, the Performance Starter Pack aims to maintain your blood glucose levels and help with hydration using scientifically produced, Informed Sport certified products. 

Hydrate before, during, and after your session with HYDRO+, an electrolyte drink mix boasting five key electrolytes and three essential vitamins in each serving (1 stick = 1 serving). We’ve included two to keep you hydrated throughout your workout. The bottle you need to mix it all with has also been thrown in for good measure.

Hydration is a key part of any exercise; without it, you start to feel sick, your energy levels drop more quickly, and your concentration levels lag. 

However, you should also focus on your in-session fuelling; you’ll be working hard, probably sweating profusely, and your energy levels will be rapidly dropping. That’s why we’ve included GO Isotonic Energy Gels. They act rapidly, contain 22g of single-source (maltodextrin) carbohydrates, and you can take them without any additional water.

Don’t wait for the ‘bonk’ to take these, they deliver energy quickly when you need it – maintain your performance levels and stop fatigue from hitting, even when you’re giving it your all. 

But what happens when it’s a hot day? You’re going a million miles per hour, you’ve not stopped sweating, and you can feel the salt crystallising on your forehead. You need energy and to rehydrate. GO Energy + Electrolyte Gels are the answer. They do everything a regular SiS GO Gel does, but also contain added salt sources to replace lost electrolytes. It’s a combination of energy and hydration in a single source.

How to Use the Performance Pack? 

Before 

Dissolve one of your HYDRO+ Sticks into 500ml of water, and continuously sip for an hour before you begin; you want to set off already hydrated! Just before you start, make sure your water bottle is full – you can use the second stick or just use plain water here, saving the second stick for after. 

During

If playing team sports, you may want to take a GO Energy Gel just before you head to the pitch, but this isn’t a necessity. Keep sipping at your water!
At around the 30-minute mark, or at half-time, take a GO Isotonic Energy Gel, and rehydrate again. If it’s a warmer day or you’ve been exerting yourself more than usual, take the GO Energy + Electrolyte Gel instead, as this will help stop dehydration before it begins.
The gels are interchangeable, depending on how hard you’re working, how warm it is, and your hydration levels.

You can save the electrolyte version for the 60-70 minute mark, too, to give you rapid energy and hydration when you want to keep moving at high speeds.

The Endurance Option

Some people prefer to keep going, pounding the pavement mile after mile, cycling for hours or doing myriad exercises one after the other in succession. Half and full marathon runners, triathletes, endurance cyclists, and anyone who is exercising for longer than 90 minutes would benefit from The Endurance Starter Pack. 

The BETA Fuel Range contains products with a 1:0.8 maltodextrin to fructose ratio. Or, two different types of carbohydrates that do different jobs: Maltodextrin provides rapid energy via quick bloodstream entry, whilst fructose is metabolised more slowly through the liver – a combination perfect for endurance athletes.

BETA Fuel Gels contain a total of 40g of dual-source carbohydrates in a single gel, and BETA Fuel 80 has a whopping 80g of dual-source carbs in each sachet. This science-backed, gut-friendly formula makes the Endurance Starter Pack ideal for hitting the recommended 90–120g of carbohydrates per hour.

Like GO Isotonic Energy + Electrolyte Gels, BETA Fuel + Electrolytes provide much-needed added sodium for those particularly warm days, or when you’re going for more than 2 hours. The gel not only keeps you energised, but also replaces essential electrolytes lost through sweat. 

Typically speaking, your glycogen (energy) stores last roughly 90 minutes, so replenishing them is essential to keep going during endurance exercise. This is why the BETA range was created with a higher-density carb count – there’s more to replace over a longer period!

How to Use the Endurance Pack

Before 

The BETA Fuel 80 can be used as part of your carb-loading strategy. When you undertake endurance sessions, you must start already hydrated and full of energy to burn through, and the drink mix is perfect for that. The carb-loading phase should start a few days before the event, so have one sachet the day before and one the morning of to keep your supply topped up.

During

Any endurance athlete should be targeting an intake of 90-120g of carbs per hour during the event. It’s also very easy to not notice your hydration levels are slipping whilst concentrating on momentum, meaning timing is everything. Aim to take a mix of standard BETA Fuel Gels, interspersed with the Electrolyte version every 30-45 minutes to maintain energy and hydration. 

Importantly, make sure you practise with your gels in training. This way, you will learn what your body can handle and more accurately understand what it needs during a multi-hour session. 

At-A-Glance

Key Takeaways

For both packs, there are some key points to remember: 

• Don’t wait for the wall: Fuelling should always be proactive, not reactive. 
• Gut training: Practise with the starter packs during your training sessions, so you don’t have any nasty surprises on event day. 
• Hydration is vital: Having the correct ratio of water/powder is important for optimal digestion. The included SiS Water Bottle provides the correct concentration. 

In short, which pack is right for you comes down to the clock. If you’re undertaking an intense, fast-paced session, go for the Performance Pack. If you’re battling the miles and planning on exercising for longer than 90 minutes, the Endurance Pack is the best choice.