Understanding which energy powder is right for you and suits your needs for training and competition is key to fuelling efficiently. At Science in Sport, we have three options and it’s important to understand the key differences between each of these powders so you can make the right choice for you. But firstly, why energy powder? Energy powders allows us to ingest carbohydrate in an easy-to-consume liquid format within your bottle. It also gives a nicer flavour than water alone making your drink more palatable. It’s important to consider consuming carbohydrate for any exercise longer than 90 minutes, this is because naturally we can only store enough energy for this long (if we’re following a healthy balanced diet of course), after this we need to supplement our energy stores. Energy powders are a great option for this, especially if energy gels or solid food are not your favourite. Science in Sport Energy Powders GO Energy Our GO Energy powder is an easily digestible, quick supply of carbohydrate for energy. It’s designed to be versatile and can be mixed at various concentrations to suit your needs. 1 serving provides 47g of carbohydrate. We recommend consuming 50g (3 scoops) with 500ml of water every 45-60 min of exercise or you can consume up to 4 servings per day with or between meals as part of a carbohydrate loading strategy in the run up to an event. Once prepared consume within 24 hours. What our customer’s say: “I always carry 2 bottles on my rides 1 x Electrolyte, and 1 Energy. Very content with these products that I have used some 14 years” – Hugo 10/02/2022 “This will keep me going for a while!” – Lenny McKnight 06/10/2021 GO Electrolyte Similarly, to the GO Energy powder, GO Electrolyte supplies easily digestible carbohydrates however GO Electrolyte contains optimal amounts of electrolytes. This combination of energy sources and electrolytes enhance our ability to absorb water during exercise, maintain performance and aid in preventing cramp. GO Electrolyte is 36g of carbohydrate as a 6% solution mixed with sodium (20 mmol/L) to achieve the combined aims of energy and hydration. We recommend consuming 40g (2 scoops) with 500ml of water every 45-60 min of exercise. What our customer’s say: “Have used this product for a number of years now. Provides carbs and electrolytes needed for my long endurance rides. Excellent product” – Christian Harland 04/07/2022 “Great tasting. Not too sweet. Excellent for indoor or outdoor use” – A Thorpe 13/05/2022 Beta Fuel The Beta Fuel powder is our scientifically superior fuelling option designed for endurance providing high carbohydrate in an easily digestible formula. With an optimised ratio of Maltodextrin to Fructose (1:0.8), Beta Fuel provides 80g of carbohydrate in a single convenient isotonic formular with minimal risk of GI discomfort to maintain optimal performance. One Sachet of Beta Fuel contains 80g of carbohydrate, we recommend mixing this with 600ml of water. Sip little and often during prolonged exercise. What our customer’s say: “After riding for 4 hours, this is like rocket fuel taking me comfortably into the next four hours” – Julian Young 17/03/2022 “Loving the Beta fuel getting me through the hard long ironman sessions” – Tim Don 11/03/2022 Nutritional comparison per serving Energy Powder Serving Size (g) Energy (kcal) Carbohydrate (g) GO Energy 50 189 47 GO Electrolyte 40 146 36 Beta Fuel 82 320 80 Each Science in Sport energy powder comes in a variety of flavours to suit individual preferences, in general we would recommend having a look at GO Energy or GO Electrolyte for exercise less than 2 hours, then would advise starting to look at Beta Fuel for exercise longer than this. As always though, nothing new on race day, make sure you train with any powder you are planning to use on an event! Energy powders and drinks are just one of many formats available at Science in Sport, from GO Energy Bakes to GO Energy Bars and GO Isotonic Energy Gels to Beta Fuel Chews. Check out the full range of SiS energy supplements, here. Written By Dr Emily Jevons - PhD in Exercise Physiology & Nutrition, Clean Sport Advisor Emily has worked with Science in Sport since 2021. With a PhD in Exercise Physiology & Nutrition, she currently provides nutritional advice for endurance athletes. Emily not only understands the science behind performance nutrition solutions, but also the physiological and psychological demands of sport after competing competitively in swimming and triathlon for a number of years.
