Energy Gels: Simple Sugars vs. Complex Carbohydrates
Energy Gels: Simple Sugars vs. Complex Carbohydrates
Why is the type of carbohydrate in your energy gel important?
Simple sugars in your energy gel will rapidly increase your blood sugar – so what’s wrong with that?
If you spike your blood sugar level then you will have lots of energy … for a little while, and then it will come crashing down. This doesn’t work so well for “endurance” athletes. Simple sugars can do just that, a little bit is okay but too much will quickly raise your blood sugar. If it could stay elevated life would be great, but unfortunately it can’t, and when and comes back down it drops (crashes) well below where it started. When this happens during athletic activity it is a dual edged sword.
First, your performance will drop as the blood sugar drops because your body is depending on that energy that is no longer available. More importantly, when your blood sugar spikes, your body will temporarily stop releasing insulin which plays a critical role in the energy conversion process. When insulin is released from the pancreas, it travels through the bloodstream to the body’s cells and tells the cell doors to open up to let the glucose in. Once inside, the cells convert glucose into energy to power your working muscles. If your insulin level drops then your body will no longer be able to as efficiently convert your muscle glycogen and glucose into usable energy … here comes the BONK!!!
The goal is to maintain a consistent blood sugar level without the spikes and crashes, and this is achieved by relying primarily on complex carbohydrates and low simple sugar levels, and that’s exactly what you get with e-Gel!
How Much Sugar is in Your Energy Gel?
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e-Gel Customer Testimonials
Real Stories from Real Customers …
Jeff Rommel
"I broke the golden rule and tried e-Gel for the first time on race day. I ran the Houston Marathon and it was a great experience - no stomach issues and no muscle cramping. Water in my bottle and an e-Gel every hour got me through the race. I'm not the fastest runner, but I set a PR!" ... continue reading
Houston, TexasSport: Running
Keith Castleton
"Figuring out how to stay hydrated, not get upset stomach and prevent muscle cramps during long runs and races has been one of my biggest challenges. In the past my muscles would ache and twitch and cause me a lot of pain after long runs. I came across e-Gel energy gels this summer used them during the Top Of Utah Marathon, took 17 minutes off my previous marathon PR and easily qualified for Boston." ... continue reading
Maricopa, ArizonaSport: Running
Bruce English
"I recently completed a half-iron distance triathlon with a brutal bike course. At the end of the ride my quads started to cramp. I nursed an e-Gel over the first mile of the run and the cramps abated. I thought it may have been coincidence, but when the cramps resurfaced at mile 7 only to resolve with another e-Gel I was sold. I only drank water on the run and took e-Gel, so I feel confident that this product made the difference. " ... continue reading
Waynesboro, VirginiaSport: Triathlon
Adam Lecompte
"This is by far the best energy gel product on the market, and I have been through them all. I have had nothing but positive training and racing experiences with this product. I trained on and used e-Gel in a half half marathon and busted a 1:32.44! My personal best of 5 half marathons. The sustained energy is incredible! I absolutely love this product." ... continue reading
Houma, LouisianaSport: Running and Triathlon
Mary Rogers
"I used e-Gels exclusively and exactly as directed in training for the Lakefront Marathon. This was my fourth marathon and I did not expect to PR, but just to complete it well. With the help of e-Gels taken at miles 2, 7, 13, 18, and 23, I took 10 minutes off of my marathon time and never hit the 'wall' or cramped as I had done in previous events. Some guy laughed at me at the start asking why I had so many energy gels. I told him I had a plan and I was sticking to it. I'm pretty sure I passed him somewhere around mile 22." ... continue reading
Springfield, IllinoisSport: Running
Sam Albrecht
"40 miles into a 56 mile ride in the desert with two big hills I started cramping, and had to stop several times. The next week I did the same ride with e-Gel and had no cramping despite it being over 100 degrees. My hydration was the same, so I have little doubt the e-Gel played a big part in keeping me going that day." ... continue reading
Big Bear City, CaliforniaSport: Triathlon
David Ball
"I've been using e-Gel for 2 years exclusively and will not go with anything else....I qualified for Boston with a 3:18:16 and felt great. One e-Gel 15 minutes before the race and one at miles 6, 12, 18, and 23 mile marks and then the last three miles were my fasted splits" ... continue reading
Oklahoma City, OklahomaSport: Running, Triathlon
Malcolm Campbell
"I looked for a gel that had less sugar and more potassium/sodium than some of the other energy gels. I came across e-Gel and used them is the US 50K Championships in Caumsett Park, New York. I finished 2nd in 3:04.22, so I guess they worked pretty good!" ... continue reading
Marietta, GeorgiaSport: Ultra Running
Jeff Domenico
"I was running my best marathon ever in Detroit, had five miles to go and I took my e-Gel 100 yards before a water station. I got to the station and it was a bunch of guys handing out beer! GU and other energy gels are so thick that I would have needed water right away, but the e-Gel was so thin and easy to digest, I got through it just fine when I hit a water station about a mile later. Not only did I finally hit my sub-three hour dream, I hit 2:57!" ... continue reading
Battle Creek, MichiganSport: Running
Dave Kumler
"I am an on-ice official in the AHL and I want to share my story about e-Gel ... My job as linesman requires me to sprint repeatedly and physically separate anyone who fights throughout the game. We get no breaks, no downtime, no relaxing...I need my energy level to remain constant. I had yet to find any product that satisfied my requirement. I tried GU, Clif Shots and other energy gels, but found that I was still needing something to get me thru the last half of the game. With e-Gel, I found it." ... continue reading
Cleveland, OhioSport: Hockey
Melissa Lofton
"I am one of those people who is funny about taste and texture, not to add a weak stomach. I tried e-Gel as a recommendation from one of my friends ... I have been a loyal customer for over 2 years. It is true when they say you don't hit that brick wall and they don't upset your stomach. I am not drained at the end of a 15 mile training run and recovery is nothing like it used to be prior to using e-Gels." ... continue reading
Dunwoody, GeorgiaSport: Running
Joseph Swenson
"I am an Ultra-Runner and a proficient sweater and I need to take in large quantities of salt to keep from shutting down during training and races. I was relying on salt caps along with other Gel's like GU to try an maintain my metabolism but it was easy to get the mixture wrong and bonk....I plan on using e-Gel as my main electrolyte / energy gel at Western States 100 mile this June, bypassing the aid station's GU which made me so nauseous by mile 80, I almost did not finish the race." ... continue reading
Livermore, CaliforniaSport: Ultra Running
Nadine Echeverry
"I just finished my first marathon, and I am singing the praises of your product! I have been training with Team In Training/Greater Los Angeles Chapter/Long Beach since May. .... At first, I bought them just because I LOVED the taste compared to the Clif shots I had been using. Also, I LOVED the consistency of your e-Gel, in that I didn't feel like I had to chew it!" ... continue reading
Lakewood, CaliforniaSport: Running
Kevin Williams
"I wasn't sure which energy gel to purchase, as there were a ton on the market. After some research I went with e-gel because it didn't have caffeine and it was the best bang for my buck. Man was I thrilled to have it with me on Tough Mudder! We took one every hour or so on our adventure and I didn't once feel fatigued. I can definitely attribute my success on Tough Mudder Tri-State 2011 to the use of e-gel. We killed it and none of my 7 person team were exhausted thanks to the electrolytes and sodium in e-gel." ... continue reading
Burtonsville, MarylandSport: Adventure Racing
Ken Brown
"Three hours into an agressive 5 hour ride, my legs were cooked, and my body needed electrolytes in a bad way. I shot another brand of energy gel and come to find out the gel had gone bad. I had no other means on me, when a training partner handed me what turned out to be the best tasting, quickest reacting energy gel I had ever used. Not only did the Tropical Blast e-Gel get me through the remainder of our ride, it made an immediate impact on my new gel of choice. I don't leave the house without a supply of my new best friends: Tropical Blast and Cherry Bomb. Thanks for finally making a gel that works AND tastes great. " ... continue reading
Dunwoody, GeorgiaSport: Triathlon
Steve Bull
"My buddy and I were riding home after a 40 mile training ride-1/2 downwind, 1/2 upwind on the way home. My friend bonked 10 miles out against a 25 mph headwind. We stopped. I administered to him my coveted e-Gel. He complained-wondered if it would make any difference. 10 minutes later he was back on his bike, riding hard, and saying, 'This stuff is incredible.' He now buys from Crank Sports. I always thought our experience was a simple but elegant testimony." ... continue reading
Burns, OregonSport: Cycling, Mountain Biking
Dan Cadriel
"I competed in my very first Ironman at Ironman Arizona after 17 years in triathlon. With horrid winds on the bike, I was nervous about my marathon. I packed my 6 Cherry Bomb e-Gels and I was off to a sub 4 hour marathon including a sub 7 minute mile at the finish line! The Ironman distance is all about nutrition and pace. I was so pleased with the experience and the endurance that the e-Gel formula gave me. I plan to continue to use Crank Sports products as I conitue to set PRs. Thank you Cherry Bomb!" ... continue reading
Glendale, ArizonaSport: Triathlon
Barbara Riesser
"I ran my first marathon in 2003 using Clif Shots but they really bothered my stomach. My trainer recommended the e-Gel and I have had no problems on my long runs now. I have told all my friends who are runners or starting to run about your products and have passed out sample gel packs too! You're e-Gel is awesome! No blood sugar drops either like I had with other products.Products always arrive sooner than expected! You guys (and girls) are awesome!" ... continue reading
Columbia City, IndianaSport: Running