AIS shopCareers

What is it?

  • Sports gels are a highly concentrated source of carbohydrate (65–70% or 65–75 g/100 ml) in a form (“honey consistency”) that is easily consumed and quickly digested. Sports gels provide a compact and portable source of carbohydrate which can easily be consumed immediately before or during exercise to contribute to carbohydrate intake targets.
  • Carbohydrates consumed during exercise can support or enhance performance via two different mechanisms: provision of fuel for the muscle and a mouth sensing benefit to the brain and central nervous system (CNS). Guidelines for carbohydrate intake during different sporting activities vary according to the importance of these effects.
  • There may be other roles for carbohydrate support during prolonged strenuous exercise that are of benefit to athlete health, particularly for high performance athletes. These roles are based on studies that investigate the acute response to exercise; further work is needed to determine if these actions translate into a reduced risk of illness and injury.
    • Consuming carbohydrate before, during and/or after prolonged intensive exercise may help to protect immune function by being associated with a reduction in the detrimental changes in cytokines and immune system cells normally induced by exercise stress.1
    • Such intake may also be beneficial to bone health by reducing the effect of exercise with low carbohydrate availability on markers of bone resorption.2
  • Many gels also contain electrolytes, particularly sodium, to assist with thirst drive and fluid retention, or to contribute to sodium balance during ultra-endurance events (see Electrolyte replacement fact sheet).

Back to top