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Talkback: Is fructose in energy gels and sports drinks bad for you?

barry scottbarry scott Posts: 2
in General Chat
my doctor advised me to avoid fructose drinks and gels on the run, i started to have issues my blood sugar levels - a friend recommended hammer nutrition gels and another electrolyte drink called hammer heed, which dont contain fructose - seems to help a lot since i switched. Maybe its the way forward..

Comments

  • barry scottbarry scott Posts: 2
    by-the-way i get them from www.hammernutrition.co.uk
  • alan hurleyalan hurley Posts: 1
    Tried gels and got a bad reaction . Probably fructose. Learned to only try new things in practise not on day of race....now use jelly babies and they work great. I think that gels are fine for most people but definitely not me as I was really distressed by them.
  • Jimbot100Jimbot100 Posts: 6

    The evidence for fructose taken good in combination with glucose (2:1 or 3:1) is good but by consuming too many gels any fructose not used for energy will form fatty deposits more readily than glucose.

    The first thing I look for in a gel is one that is preservative free, sodium benzoate/potassium sorbate trigger asthma and can cause GI problems so are very likely to slow you down. If you are getting ill from gels this is far more likely to be the reason, fructose is well tolerated it's a naturally occurring simple sugar. Like any sugar too much of it is a bad thing.

     

     

  • Jimbot100Jimbot100 Posts: 6

    Fructose is the major constituent in fruit juices, runny honey and agave nectar so if you are trying to cut down it's worth looking out for these in the ingredients declaration and not just look for fructose.

  • Monty 1967Monty 1967 Posts: 10

    Hi Jimbot which brands have you found that are free from preservatives?

  • Len DunneLen Dunne Posts: 1

    Barry, if you're over 35 you'll find that the Elivar Sports Nutrition avoids fructose and uses only low GI carbs which essentially means that energy is released smoothly over a longer window(which avoids the insulin spikes that occur with high gi carbs like fructose). I am biased as I am one of the co-founders of Elivar - we also sponsor the 220 Triathlon Awards -  but I couldn't help responding to your initial question.  Don't judge me. Len

  • Jimbot100Jimbot100 Posts: 6

    Hi Monty. Push Energy Gels are good or Mule Bar but they are very sweet.

     

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