I was reading the GU web page and for directions it says:
2. For sustained energy consume one packet of GU every 35-45 minutes during exercise, washing it down with a few mouthfuls of water or GU2O hydration drink to speed absorption.
Everybody strongly suggests gels should be consumed with water only. Is this still the case?
What is to best way to get gels on the bike if you have only one bottler?
InfinIT
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FWIW, I’ve never trained or raced with just gel and water. I’ve always used gels and sports drink to get my calories, and then take water with me in case I get tired of the sports drink or need cooling. It works perfectly for me. I’ve never seen a truly rational argument for not taking gel and sports drink at the same time. Just make sure you’re still taking in the right amount of calories/carbs/protein, etc.
the consume gels with only water myth is completely a myth. Gel and most sports drinks are the same exact ingredients. As long as you can handle whatever amount of calories you’re taking in per hour take the gel with whatever you want. I usually try to keep my caloie consumption fairly steady during longer races versus bursts of mega calories so often I’ll down a gel with water and then go back to sports drink. However most of the time I ONLY have sports drink on my bike so it’s gel and sports drink together all the way:)
Again, it’s more about how many calories you can process over a given time than anything else. Oh and the flavor combos;)
I also think it has to do with the distance of the race. Long distance usually gives you the chance to get/carry water whereas OLY one has to go fast and light.
If you take a gel and an energy drink, you’ll be effectively significantly increasing the concentration of the energy drink… which arguably should be between 6-8% to maximise absorpsion rate, and minimise the chances of GI distress.
The "gel with only water" rule might have come about from palatability issues. A gel is a pretty concentrated and water helps wash that sweet texture down. Some people might not enjoy washing it down with another sweet tasting drink like gatorade, etc. Too much sweet stuff at once.
Of course, chasing a whiskey shot with a beer works, so what do I know!
Thanks all!
I think if you practice it you should be able to handle Gu and a sports drink. As others have said, I don’t have problems with it either…even gel and some coke works fine.
I was actually thinking that because I mixed too many accel gels with my infinit that I messed up my osmolity leading to GI distress this past weekend. What are your thoughts on that causing decreased absorption rather than increasing it?
I’ve never seen a truly rational argument for not taking gel and sports drink at the same time. Just make sure you’re still taking in the right amount of calories/carbs/protein, etc.
I believe the arguement is that you will negatively affect water absorption and thus be more likely to dehydrate. From what I’ve read it’s not clear it would negatively affect carb absorption and I imagine GI distress is quite variable.
If ANYTHING, the water helps you wash the residue of the gel out of your mouth, but I am sure you can do that with a sports drink too…
Bob
OK could not help but after lurking and biting my tongue I decided to post! Gels should definitely be washed down with water. The reason INFINIT works so well is because the osmo is worked with the contents of the bottle you designed for yourself. When you throw gel into the mix, and because the osmo of the gels is already high you have a ticket to stomach problems.
My 2cents