Dumb down or nerd out?
Whereas I applaud Maurten’s effort within the taste division, the model popularized a development that I’m not a fan of — complicating issues with science to market power gels at greater costs. As a former producer of sports activities vitamin merchandise, I do know the price of many elements, plus power gels are basically simply concentrated sugar water. Ought to they be so costly? (Listed below are some inexpensive alternate options)
Like lots of you, I do get pleasure from nerding out on the science behind the power gels we take. For instance, the completely different pathways of glucose and fructose or how applied sciences comparable to hydrogels and isotonic options can velocity up the processing of carbohydrates. It’s all very academic, and I respect all the nice movies and articles the manufacturers created.
I simply want they didn’t leverage the content material and advertising technique to justify charging extra.
Carbs Gasoline, a brand new model on the block, is bucking the development. Their product design and advertising message are additionally science-driven, however they “dumb it down” to simplify the science and supply affordability.
I hope we see extra manufacturers democratizing sports activities vitamin as an alternative of fostering exclusivity by way of pricing.
Separation as an alternative of Integration
There are power gels that combine a boatload of extras: branded chain amino acids (BCAA), plentiful electrolytes, nutritional vitamins, unique elements, and so forth. After which there are gels that strip it all the way down to the bones and include only a few objects comparable to water, sugars, and thickeners.
A number of manufacturers following the latter route sometimes separate their merchandise into two classes:
- For replenishing carbohydrates
- For hydration and sustaining electrolyte stability.
Their power gels present sugar and little or no else. And when you want one thing for hydration, they’ve separate product strains, normally near-zero sugar drink mixes and tablets filled with sodium and different important electrolytes.
They motive that athletes must be extra exact with their fueling. By dividing carbohydrate and electrolyte consumption into separate merchandise, you’ll be able to higher hold monitor of what you eat to forestall over-fueling that would trigger abdomen points and electrolyte imbalances.
There may be reality to that, however it’s additionally intelligent advertising. As a substitute of shopping for one merchandise, you now want two. And the stripped-down power gels aren’t essentially cheaper than choices with all of the bells and whistles.
