In 2017 we began toying with the idea of creating a new gel
& drink mix, with the desire to deliver the maximum hourly caloric intake
via carbohydrates, while also reducing potential GI distress which can be
caused by continuous nutrition intake paired with excessive physiological
stress – both of which occur during long training sessions and long grueling
races.
Our research showed us that while we can consume any amount
of carbohydrates in an hour, we can only oxidize and absorb a very specific
amount. Usually, when we consume more than we can oxidize, we create a
bottleneck in the gut, and this sets off a chain of unpleasant experiences,
some of which manifest in the form of GI distress, stomach and abdominal pain,
and result in athletes slowing down or dropping out due to severe discomfort.
Glucose, is oxidized via the SGLT1 pathway at a rate of
1g/minute, resulting in 60g/hour. Fructose, is oxidized via a completely
different pathway, GLUT5. When we combine these multiple transportable
carbohydrates in a 2:1 ratio, the total rate of ingested carbohydrate can
exceed 1.5g/minute or 90g/hour[1]. This is possible because the carbohydrates
are oxidized via non-competing pathways.
The Unived Elite line of products have been formulated for
activities lasting greater than two hours. The Unived Elite Gel-180 & our
Elite Drink Mix-160 both have the optimal 2:1 ratio of simple to complex
carbohydrates. Our Elite Gel-180 offers
you 30 grams of simple carbohydrates, and 15 grams of complex
carbohydrates, for a total of 45 grams of carbohydrates, and 180kcal, per
serving, where as the Elite Drink Mix-160 has 26.5 grams of simple and 13.5 grams
of complex carbohydrates, for a total of 40 grams of carbohydrates, making it a
perfect isotonic solution in 500ml water.
The other ingredients have been adjusted in a manner to
provide additional support to the body based on climatic conditions. We have
made the assumption that one may consume more of the isotonic Unived Elite
Drink Mix during the day when temperatures peak, perspiration rates are high,
and thirst increases; and that one may prefer the Unived Elite Gels during
cooler periods of the day, and at night, when perspiration rates are low, and
the body is not as thirsty.
During the day when temperatures peak, you will experience
high perspiration and your body will lose both fluids & electrolytes. You
must aim to replace both, and hence may want to consume more of the Unived
Elite Drink Mix and less of the Unived Elite Gels. The Unived Elite Drink Mix
also contains 850mg of Betaine which acts as an osmoprotectant, protecting your
cells from environmental stress under heat & humidity, and 400mg of
Beta-Alanine which buffers the acidity that builds up in our active muscles during
exercise. These ingredients are important as they aid you in maintaining your
performance, especially during challenging climatic conditions.
During cooler times and also at night, you may experience
less perspiration and may want to consume more of the Unived Elite Gel which is
a concentrated source of fuel, and a little less of the Unived Drink Mix. Apart
from 45 grams of carbohydrates, the Unived Elite Gel contains 400mg of
Beta-Alanine which buffers the acidity that builds up in our active muscles
during exercise. As the Unived Elite Gel is a concentrated energy source, its
main role is to deliver energy and supporting nutrients to your body with an
instant consumption.
Irrespective of the time of the day, to gain maximum benefit
from the Unived Elite Endurance Fuel system, you must aim to consume two
servings per hour, to get 90grams of carbohydrates and 360kcal, per hour.
Always remember to consume the Unived Elite Recovery Mix
within 20 minutes of completing a hard training run, or a race, for optimal
recovery. For ultra-distance activities, you may follow through with a second
serving, 30 minutes after you consume the first.
Our Formulation
2:1 CARBOHYDRATE RATIO ENERGY GEL
During very prolonged exercise, ingestion of Glucose and
Fructose, in a 2:1 ratio, results in greater carbohydrate oxidation rates than
the ingestion of an isoenergetic amount of Glucose alone[2].
This is due to the fact that more than one transport
mechanism is called into use, as Glucose is transported via the sodium glucose
pathway, SGLT1, and Fructose is transported via a different pathway, GLUT5[3].
At our maximum capacity, we can transport Glucose via SGLT1
at a rate of 1gram per minute, resulting in 60grams per hour. However, when we
co-ingest Glucose and Fructose, in a 2:1 ratio, we are able to transport
1.5grams per minute, resulting in 90grams per hour.
The total lactate oxidation increases when we consume
Glucose and Fructose, in a 2:1 ratio. This corresponds to lactate oxidation in
our active muscle fibres, while part of the lactate oxidation may also take
place in our heart muscles as lactate is efficiently used as an energy fuel in
cardiomyocytes during exercise. Hepatic lactate update and conversion into
glucose contributes substantially to total lactate disappearance. When multiple
transportable carbohydrates (Glucose and Fructose, in a 2:1 ratio) are ingested
during exercise, both hepatic lactate and glucose availability increase
significantly when compared to ingestion of glucose alone. The total
carbohydrate oxidation increases, essentially due to an enhanced oxidation of
lactate. Because lactate is essentially oxidized by working skeletal muscles
during exercise, co-ingestion of Glucose and Fructose not only allows an
increase in total carbohydrate oxidation beyond what may be obtained with
ingestion of Glucose alone, but it also provides additional oxidative fuel to
active skeletal muscles during exercise[4].
Consumption of 90grams of carbohydrate per hour, from a
co-ingestion of Glucose and Fructose in a 2:1 ratio, has the potential to spare
muscle glycogen oxidation relative to lower doses of single carbohydrate
ingestion, or even higher multiple carbohydrate ingestion. Ingesting higher
amounts of either single or multiple transportable carbohydrates, can create an
‘over-dose’ effect, whereby effective and beneficial muscle glycogen oxidation
and exercise performance and diminished[5]. Therefore, it is important to
remember that you should not exceed the maximum ingestion of the products,
which stands at 90gram per hour of Glucose and Fructose in a 2:1 ratio – this
means either two Unived Elite Gels, or two Unived Drink Mixes, or one Unived
Gel and one Unived Drink Mix, per hour.
There is also evidence that co-ingestion of Glucose and
Fructose, in a 2:1 ratio, increases intestinal water absorption by 65% as
compared with ingestion of Glucose alone[6].
Unived’s Elite Energy Gel & Elite Drink Mix have been
formulated to deliver multiple transportable carbohydrates in the optimal 2:1
ratio of simple to complex carbohydrates. It is clinically proven that when we
combine Glucose, which is oxidized via the SGLT1 pathway at a rate of 1g/min or
60g/hr, with Fructose, which is oxidized via the GLUT5 pathway, in a 2:1 ratio,
the rate of ingested carbohydrate can exceed 1.5g/min or 90g/hr.
The 2:1 ratio ensures a happy gut as it reduces abdominal
cramps and improves gastrointestinal distress, due to a faster intestinal
absorption of carbohydrates, and increases intestinal water absorption by 65%
as compared with glucose alone[7].
In addition, we’ve included Beta-Alanine which helps improve
performance by buffering the acidity in active muscles during high-intensity
exercise [9, 10, 11].
Endurance activities are always challenging and as the hours
roll on, our body begins to respond to ongoing stress, external conditions, and
various internal reactions, often leading our pallet and stomach to frequently
change their flavour and substrate requirements.
Now, with the choice of a gel or a drink mix, various
flavours, non-caffeine and different caffeinated options, you have the ability
to plan your hourly caloric and caffeine intake in a manner that ensures
optimal peak performance.
