So who should use which one?
The rule of thumb is to consume 1 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight per hour, meaning a 70 kg athlete should take in 70 g of carbohydrates hourly. Recent studies have further shown that the human body can absorb up to 90-120 g of carbohydrates per hour for maximum athletic performance. However, it’s not so straightforward in practice.
Energy gels are essentially concentrated sugar water, which is something you don’t usually put in your digestive system. Too much carbohydrates and sugar too fast can overwhelm your stomach, causing gastrointestinal distress when you need to perform athletically. Here’s everything you need to know on how energy gels might cause an upset stomach.
Just like your legs, heart, and lungs, your stomach also requires training to perform.
SiS Go, with its isotonic property and lower carbohydrate content, is designed to be stomach-friendly. This is a better option if you’re new to running and fueling with energy gels or have a sensitive stomach.
SiS Beta Fuel has a whoppin’ 40 g of carbohydrates per energy gel. That’s a lot! It’s created to keep athletes fully and rapidly topped up. If your stomach is well acclimated to the hefty dosage of sugars, Beta Fuel is the super fuel to energize you.
Remember, just because the latest studies say that you can eat 120 g of carbohydrates per hour, it doesn’t mean you have the ability to do it immediately. It takes “practice” to build up a tolerance over time.
How did the energy gels perform? Which one is faster reacting?
The mouth-to-muscle time for Beta Fuel is simply superior. Given its much higher sugar content, a significant spike in blood sugar level is not surprising. However, what goes up must come down. Blood sugar peaks and troughs can be detrimental to performance.
Go, on the other hand, provides a “steadier” experience. I never get that “boosted” feeling, which I used to think was a negative. But I have since learned to appreciate sports nutrition that doesn’t spike my blood sugar level.
Here’s our recommendation. If it’s an easy-to-moderate session where you want to maintain a consistent effort, go with SiS Go. For runs where you will change paces to surge, before tackling a big climb or getting ready to finish strong, Beta Fuel will give you that extra rocket boost.
Carrying convenience and consumption tips
The packaging of the SiS energy gels is huge. Be sure they fit in your fuel-carrying gears, such as shorts pockets and various compartments of your hydration vests and packs.
At 60 ml, Go doesn’t provide a lot of calories and carbohydrates, meaning you have to carry more sachets and weight to get the same amount of fuel. Beta Fuel, on the other hand, is energy packed. Consume two Beta Fuel gels and you’ve banked 300+ calories and 80 g of carbohydrates.
When you’re running hard and exhausted, the fewer energy gels you have to carry and the fewer times you have to fiddle around your running belt or hydration pack for an energy gel and open it, the better.
60 ml is a lot of syrupy concoction to take in all at once. Here’s a tip: Open the energy gel and take a sip (a quarter or a third). Run with the partially consumed pack briefly before taking the next sip. Consumer the entire gel over 2-5 minutes to avoid stressing your digestive system.
The verdict
If your digestive system is well-trained and you’re going on a long run over two hours, SiS Beta Fuel is the energy gel of choice. It provides more calories and carbohydrates per gel, meaning you can carry less on these extended efforts. It also contains a blend of glucose and fructose, which research studies have proven to be more effective in replenishing glycogen stores.
However, if your stomach is on the sensitive side or you’re going on a shorter run and prefer not to carry a water bottle, SiS Go Isotonic is just the sports fuel for you. One drawback is the subpar volume-to-carbohydrate ratio. If you use Go on long runs and rides, you will need to bring more gels and consume a higher volume.
Regarding taste and texture, the Go series is pleasantly light. We find it ideal for runs in higher temperatures. Go also offers a broader selection of flavors. Both energy gels are more than palatable, two of the “tastier” ones we’ve tested.