Changes

Energy gels are a useful component of many endurance runner's training and racing. In marathon distance racing, energy gels can make an important difference - [[When to eat Energy Gels in the Marathon]].

==Overview==

This table is ordered by ease of digestion.

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| Gu||100||25g||5g||0g||50mg||40mg||0mg/25mg/50mg||4||General Use

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| Gu Roctane||100||25g||5g||1.7g||125mg||55mg||0mg/35mg||4||Rich Marathoners

==Gu==

For marathon distance racing, I prefer Gu over all other gels I've tried. It contains only 5g of fructose, with the rest of the calories coming from the more easily digested [[Maltodextrin]]. I find that Gu can be consumed without any extra water as long as it is taken a bit at a time and [[How to eat a Gel|mixed with saliva]]. Some of the flavors can be a little strong, but the 'plain' Gu has a light cola flavor.

==Gu Roctane==

This is an expensive variant on Gu, and I've not noticed any difference when using it. The amount of amino acids that are added is quite small (1.7g) and the benefits do not seem to justify the cost, which is roughly double the cost of standard Gu. On the other hand, if you are paying hundreds of dollars for a race entry (or even more with travel), even a slight edge may be worth it. If you take 8 gels in a 4-hour marathon, that only adds $8-10 to the cost of the race. Of course, you'll need to practice with Roctane in your training, so you'll have to factor that cost in as well.

== #9 Chocolate ==

The only ingredients in this gel are Agave and Cocoa, and Agave is predominantly fructose (55% fructose to 20% glucose). This fructose is slow to be absorbed and can be difficult to digest, making it a poor choice for most runners. The only runners that this gel would be suitable for would be those that suffer from a blood sugar drop after taking more conventional gels. The Agave makes this gel intensely sweet, which I did not like.