Energy Gels: What Are They Used For and Do They Contain Their Labeled Ingredients?

Answer:

What are energy gels?

"Energy Gels," also called carbohydrate gels, are popular among athletes as portable, easy-to-store sources of carbohydrates for reducing the risk of low blood sugar during endurance sports such as marathons (Baur, Eur J Appl Physiol 2021). Consuming these gels before or during exercise has been shown to enhance intermittent endurance capacity (i.e., the ability to repeatedly perform short bursts of high-intensity exercise with short rest intervals in between) (Phillips, Eur J Appl Physiol 2012). These gels are also sometimes used as a carbohydrate source to stabilize blood sugar levels during episodes of hypoglycemia among people with diabetes (Bhaskarabhatla, Compr Ther 2005).

Given its uses, it is important that energy gels contain the amount of carbohydrates stated on their labels, but, as discussed below, testing of such products has found that some contain far less.

Do energy gels contain the amounts of carbohydrates stated on the labels?

Independent analysis of eight energy gels popular among athletes found that seven of the energy gels tested contained carbohydrates in amounts within 20% of what was stated on the labels, but one product contained only 28%, and this was found to be a consistent problem with other energy gels by the same brand (Tiller, Int J Sports Nutr Exer Metab 2024).

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