e-Gel vs. First Endurance EFS Liquid Shot Gel
First Endurance EFS Liquid Shot Gel is fairly new to the market and is
improvement in some areas over many traditional gels, but it still comes
up far short of e-Gel in terms of electrolyte levels and carbohydrate
sources.
EFS Liquid Shot does not come in individual packets, so for the
purposes of this comparison to e-Gel we have used 150 calories of each
product. The first thing that jumps out is that EFS Liquid Shot contains
50% simple sugars, that's the highest level of all energy gels on
the market that we are aware of (you should be looking for low levels of
simple sugars and high levels of complex carbohydrates). As for
electrolytes, e-Gel contains 50% more sodium, the most important
electrolyte for maintaining hydration and avoiding cramping. Amazingly,
even when purchasing EFS Liquid Shot is the 2,400 calorie bulk jug, the
cost per serving is 18% more than e-Gel.
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Carbohydrates
Maltodextrin is the preferred carbohydrate source for endurance athletes and
as such it is the primary ingredient in e-Gel as well as most other good
products on the market. EFS Liquid Shot contains sucrose (aka table sugar),
and with 50% sugars EFS Liquid Shot has the highest level of sugars of all
leading energy gels (that's not a good thing). |
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Electrolytes
e-Gel is the ONLY energy gel that is designed to provide complete and
balanced electrolyte replacement that is critical for proper hydration and
to avoid muscle cramping. EFS Liquid Shot is better than most gels in this
area but still comes up far short of e-Gel. e-Gel has 50% more sodium and
the electrolyte levels in e-Gel are
designed to meet the American College of Sports Medicine's recommendation
for electrolyte replacement during intense athletic activity.
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Amino Acids
The amino acids in e-Gel and EFS Liquid Shot are designed to reduce lactic acid
build up, maintain muscle protein and aid in recovery.
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Citrates
The Citrates in e-Gel assist in the carbohydrate to energy conversion process as well as
reduce and slow the build-up of lactic acid in your muscles. EFS Liquid Shot
does not contain Citrates, |
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Antioxidants
e-Gel and GU are two of the only energy gels that contain antioxidant vitamins C and E
to help protect against tissue damage,
reduce soreness and aid in the recovery process. EFS Liquid Shot does not
contain antioxidants. |
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Vitamin B6
e-Gel is the only energy gel to include vitamin B6 which assists in the
energy conversion process.
EFS Liquid Shot does not contain
vitamin B6. |
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Caffeine
While caffeine may give a temporary mental boost, unfortunately it is a
diuretic, meaning that it causes your kidneys to produce more urine - thus
promoting dehydration. Proper hydration is critical to optimum performance,
and in our opinion caffeine should not be incorporated into your sports
nutrition program. Our recommendation has always been that if you feel that
you NEED caffeine, then only use a caffeinated product (there are plenty on
the market) near the end of your
competition when you need the psychological boost the most and there is
little time to cause dehydration. We strongly recommend against relying on a
caffeinated product for the duration of the competition. |
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Pricing
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At retail, a pack of e-Gel sells
for $1.59 for a 150 calorie packet. EFS Liquid Shot is sold in a 400 calorie
flask for $6.00 bringing the cost to $2.25 for 150 calories. EFS Liquid Shot
is also sold in a 2,400 calorie bulk jug for $30 bringing the cost to $1.87
for 150 calories.
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The nutritional information shown above for
EFS Liquid Shot as published February 2011.
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