How can what we have already said about professionals and their nutrition protocols be of support to those who cycle just for passion? Enervit has created specific supplements for the UAE Team Emirates as well as for Lidl-Trek and from the collaboration the C2:1PRO line was born, available for sale. Gorka Prieto’s words sparked other curiosities. To answer them, we turned to Elena Casiraghi, expert in nutrition and sports integration at Equipe Enervit.
What should you look for in an energy gel?
Let’s start from a fixed point. The first ingredient you should look for when choosing an energy gel should be the presence of glucose or maltodextrin. The reason is this: they are the best source of immediate energy, and the main goal of a carbohydrate gel is to provide energy. Energy quickly. Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Activity, British Journal of Nutrition and Sports Medicine all shows that Glucose and maltodextrins are rapidly absorbed and produce energy at the rate needed for intense performance.
Is there a minimum quantity to take to obtain results?
The recommendation is to use these carbohydrate sources only in quantities up to a maximum of approximately 60 grams/hour. A useful amount for activities lasting up to 2 hours. For prolonged activities it is advisable to exceed this limit. In addition to this, in fact, the small intestine cannot absorb this type of carbohydrate as quickly and a greater diet increases the risk of intestinal problems due to malabsorption. As a result, another source of carbohydrates is needed. Typically, this comes in the form of fructose. Fructose should appear second in the ingredient list.
So in what ratio should you choose maltodextrin/glucose and fructose?
The ratio of glucose to fructose is traditionally 2:1 in products (2 grams of glucose for every gram of fructose). Research by the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports and the British Journal of Nutrition has studied a maximum of 2:1 as an advantageous ratio. There is one last essential thing and that is to practice with the products during training to train the intestine’s ability to absorb this amount of carbohydrates.
Practice eating?
Not everyone knows that the intestine is a highly adaptable organ, like skeletal muscles and for this very reason it must be stimulated to better absorb the sugars we supply it, progressively. Which means starting from 30 grams/hour and gradually, training after training, in line with your sensations, increasing up to the desired level. The most common mistake made by amateurs is not eating when they train.
Why?
The thought goes to thinness, it is thought that by not eating anything while cycling you can lose weight. A belief that is not only false, but is also dangerous, first and foremost for physical and immune efficiency! To really improve, take care of recovery and contain excessive post-workout hunger, it is best not to neglect any detail, even while pedaling. By doing so, however it also trains the stomach to empty and the intestines to absorb the quantity of carbohydrates per hour required by one’s activity level. The advantages will be indisputable: try it!
Is there a reason why 40 grams of carbohydrates were chosen for every 60 ml of product?
A great advantage of carbohydrate-based mixtures, compared to choosing just one sugar, is being able to absorb more energy in the same unit of time. But it’s not enough. Indeed reducing the volume of energy products, increasing their energy density allows you to have more energy in less space. A real opportunity for the athlete who has to stay in the saddle for several hours, thus reducing the bulk of the material to carry with him. Equipe Enervit’s innovation was to increase the carbohydrate intake, always respecting the 2:1 mixture, even in the water bottle. Therefore, carbohydrates can also be drunk, but with an added challenge: reducing the sweetness of the product. A profit that can happen thanks to the use of maltodextrins compared to glucose which have a lower sweetness.
What is the role of caffeine in gels?
Caffeine in small doses contributes to better to absorb sugars in the intestine. In fact, each sugar has a carrier, i.e. a transporter that is committed to making the sugars “pass” from the intestinal lumen to the blood. And from there it is distributed to the muscles that require it during effort. Not only, numerous studies have shown the benefits of caffeine in reducing perceived effort.
When should it be taken?
The suggestion is to use Carbogels 2:1 with caffeine either before an important stretch of the race and/or for the last hour and a half of the competition. In other words, when you want more. Alongside gels with caffeine, they were also born carbo gels always in a maltodextrin and fructose to sodium ratio of 2:1. It is in fact a fundamental mineral to promote the absorption of even water at the intestinal level and is too often underestimated. It must be included in a global strategy that aims at a correct state of hydration.
