What is an energy gel, and when do you need one?

A runner tearing open an energy gel pouch on a coastal road

An energy gel is a small pack of concentrated carbohydrate, made to be swallowed mid-effort without chewing. Runners, cyclists and triathletes use them to keep fuel coming in when a workout or race runs long.

Why you'd want one

Your body stores carbohydrate as glycogen in muscle and liver, and that supply is limited. Carbohydrate depletion and dehydration are the most likely causes of fatigue in endurance exercise lasting 30 minutes or more.

Taking in carbohydrate during exercise longer than about an hour can improve performance, and guidelines recommend 30 to 90g an hour depending on how long you're out. A gel is one easy way to get there.

What's inside

Most gels are built from three things.

  • Sugars. Usually glucose or maltodextrin, often with fructose. Using both glucose and fructose lets the gut absorb more per hour than either alone.
  • Sodium. The main electrolyte you lose in sweat.
  • Extras. Some gels add caffeine, amino acids or flavorings.

RANN keeps the list short: raw honey, organic maple syrup, organic lemon juice, sea salt and pomegranate extract. Each 42g pack has 30g of carbs in a 1:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio and 150mg of sodium.

When to take one

  • Before: one gel about 15 minutes before the start of a long effort.
  • During: one every 20 to 30 minutes once you're past the first half hour, depending on your hourly target.
  • Recommended with water. A few sips helps it go down and sit well.

When you don't need one

For anything under about 30 minutes, you have enough stored fuel and a gel adds nothing. An easy 5K, a short gym session or a walk doesn't call for one.

How to start

Try your first gel on a training run, not on race day. Carry it in a shorts pocket or belt, take it with water, and notice how your stomach feels over the next 20 minutes.

This article is general information, not medical advice.

Sources

  1. Jeukendrup AE. Nutrition for endurance sports: marathon, triathlon, and road cycling. J Sports Sci, 2011. View abstract
  2. Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Dietary carbohydrate and the endurance athlete: contemporary perspectives. Sports Science Exchange 231, 2022. View article
  3. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Joint position statement of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2016. View statement
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What is an energy gel, and when do you need one?

An energy gel is a small pack of fast carbohydrate you take during long runs, rides and races. Here's what's in one, how it works and when it's worth using.

An energy gel is a small pack of concentrated carbohydrate, made to be swallowed mid-effort without chewing. Runners, cyclists and triathletes use them to keep fuel coming in when a workout or race runs long.

Why you'd want one

Your body stores carbohydrate as glycogen in muscle and liver, and that supply is limited. Carbohydrate depletion and dehydration are the most likely causes of fatigue in endurance exercise lasting 30 minutes or more.

Taking in carbohydrate during exercise longer than about an hour can improve performance, and guidelines recommend 30 to 90g an hour depending on how long you're out. A gel is one easy way to get there.

What's inside

Most gels are built from three things.

  • Sugars. Usually glucose or maltodextrin, often with fructose. Using both glucose and fructose lets the gut absorb more per hour than either alone.
  • Sodium. The main electrolyte you lose in sweat.
  • Extras. Some gels add caffeine, amino acids or flavorings.

RANN keeps the list short: raw honey, organic maple syrup, organic lemon juice, sea salt and pomegranate extract. Each 42g pack has 30g of carbs in a 1:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio and 150mg of sodium.

When to take one

  • Before: one gel about 15 minutes before the start of a long effort.
  • During: one every 20 to 30 minutes once you're past the first half hour, depending on your hourly target.
  • Recommended with water. A few sips helps it go down and sit well.

When you don't need one

For anything under about 30 minutes, you have enough stored fuel and a gel adds nothing. An easy 5K, a short gym session or a walk doesn't call for one.

How to start

Try your first gel on a training run, not on race day. Carry it in a shorts pocket or belt, take it with water, and notice how your stomach feels over the next 20 minutes.

This article is general information, not medical advice.

Sources

  1. Jeukendrup AE. Nutrition for endurance sports: marathon, triathlon, and road cycling. J Sports Sci, 2011. View abstract
  2. Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Dietary carbohydrate and the endurance athlete: contemporary perspectives. Sports Science Exchange 231, 2022. View article
  3. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Joint position statement of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2016. View statement

Fuel the last mile.

Honey and maple. 30g carbs, 1:1 glucose to fructose, 150mg sodium.

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