Over the last couple of months we’ve had a chance to sample a range of Science in Sport (SIS) energy and protein products. This is what we found:

Product: GO Electrolyte

Purpose: Hydration and energy during exercise, especially in the heat.

Taste: 9/10

What we thought: We tried tropical and lemon & lime flavours. Both mix easily with water to make a refreshing and tasty drink that is easy on the stomach. The 40g sachets are particularly convenient as they avoid the need for accurate measuring. A sachet can also be easily slipped into a cycle jersey pocket to mix a refill during a long ride. GO contains both carbohydrates for energy and electrolytes to replace lost salts. However, our trial period was through the coldest winter in memory and the main benefit of the electrolytes was probably to prevent the drink from freezing.

Product: GO-Gel

Purpose: Isotonic energy for carbo loading pre-exercise and sustained energy during exercise

Taste: 7/10

What we thought: Most energy gels on the market are meant to be taken with water to ensure optimum take up, which can be inconvenient. GO-Gels are isotonic and can be swallowed without worrying how much, if any, water you take on at the same time.  This makes them ideal for long runs, for example, when you want to minimise how much you carry. The sachets can be torn open with either fingers or teeth and the gel slips down easily – important while on the move. We found regularly consuming gels while on a long bike ride definitely improved how we felt at the end. Go-Gels come in orange, blackcurrant and tropical flavours. We tried orange, which compares well with other gels around, but we are yet to find a gel product that we could genuinely say tastes good. As well as taking Go-Gels for energy on the go, you could also use them in the days leading up to a race for carbo loading.

Product: Smart 1 (Energy Gel)

Purpose: Energy and caffeine boost.

Taste: 7/10

What we thought: It’s not clear whether the ‘Smart 1′ is an isotonic gel or not, although as it is based on the GO-Gel technology, we assume it is. The caffeine boost gives this gel a powerful kick. We tried it half an hour before the end of long and tiring bike ride. By the time the tester finished the ride he felt so fired up he went out and ran for 20 minutes. Although not primarily intended for use after exercise, we found the Smart 1 gels great for a quick post-run boost in the middle of a meeting-packed day. There’s no chance of dozing off in a meeting after one of these. They may also work well as a pre-race mood and confidence booster. It’s better not to examine too closely what you’re consuming though. The red goo does not look like something you’d want in your stomach, and it does leave an odd aftertaste.

SIS energy products

Product: REGO Recovery

Purpose: Post exercise drink to boost recovery

Taste: Strawberry 7/10, Chocolate 6/10

What we thought: REGO recovery contains a mix of carbohydrate and protein to help you recover after exercise.  We found it works best if mixed in advance and is left to stand for a while before drinking. It doesn’t mix as easily as GO-Electrolyte and needs a bit of effort with a fork and a mixing bottle to remove the lumps. It can be warmed, but we found this only appetising for the chocolate flavour. We also found adding milk improves the taste but weren’t sure whether this adversely affected the protein balance.

Product: BUILD

Purpose: Protein supplement to build muscle and control weight

Taste: (Strawberry) 4/10

What we thought: Protein supplementation has traditionally been the preserve of weight lifters and body builders, but triathletes also need plenty and it may make sense to experiment with supplements if you feel your diet is deficient. Obviously taste is a personal thing, but in our opinion, strawberry flavour BUILD tastes a lot worse than strawberry REGO, so much so that we have not yet finished our sample. Protein supplementation can be taken prior to resistance exercise to help build muscle or one to two hours before main meals to reduce appetite and hence help reduce body mass. We’re looking forward to trying the new BUILD Bar, which should achieve similar results but hopefully with a better taste.

Product: Nocte

Purpose: Night-time protein drink

Taste: (Vanilla) 7/10

What we thought: After consuming a GO-Gel pre-exercise, a bottle of GO-electrolyte during exercise, REGO Recovery afterwards and BUILD in between, we’d lost our appetite for powdered drinks and would have settled for a mug of hot milk. However, Nocte mixes fairly easily, tastes better than BUILD or REGO and makes a satisfying warm bed-time drink. We did think though that a 40g sachet provided enough for two nights. Drinking 500ml in one go shortly before sleeping was a recipe for several midnight wanderings to the bathroom.

Overall, SIS produce a comprehensive range of products to meet athletes’ needs. For the novice, it may take a little time to understand when and how to use each of these products, but SIS’s information leaflets are comprehensive and clear. However, for our tastes, too much of the product is delivered in powdered form. Fortunately, as mentioned above, SIS have recently launched a BUILD bar, which looks like a good substitute for either REGO or BUILD. For more information see: www.scienceinsport.com or on Twitter @ScienceinSport.

Note:

At Tzero we believe nutrition should be based around a healthy balanced diet of natural, unprocessed foods. We recognise however that food supplements play a role in athletic performance and recovery. While we are unable to carry out controlled scientific tests to validate (or otherwise) performance claims made for any products, we are happy to review products for taste, ease of use and our perception of effectiveness.

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