Gels are a scientific miracle for the endurance athlete and have come a long way over the years to transform into an energy source that is more palatable and readily digested. If you remember the Powerbar gels in the 1980’s then you’ve devoured them all. In 2025 however, you’ve got hundreds of gels to choose from but which one is right for you?
The best gel for you is going to depend on several factors. These include Gender, training or event duration and intensity, dietary preferences and gut tolerance.
Female athletes have a higher rate of gut issues when consuming simple carbohydrates, fructose and maltodextrin. This can also be similar in those who experience gut health issues. Therefore, these athletes may benefit from choosing a gel that uses other forms of carbohydrates such as Huma Gel, Veloforte energy gels, Naak- Ultra Energy Puree, or UnTapped - Energy Gel (<5% fructose). It’s worth noting that most of these gels do contain fruit concentrates, which can contain some fructose. These gels are also a good choice for athletes looking for a gel made from as close to real ingredients as possible.
Another great gel option for those struggling with gut issues is Maurten Gels. These are hydrogels, which means that they may allow for a smoother journey from the stomach into the intestinal tract. Hydrogels have been proven to work at reducing gut related issues in athletes at rest but research into reducing issues in the active athlete is inconclusive at the moment.
If you are competing in a longer distance endurance event you may also be looking to minimise how many gels you carry and therefore may be best going for a gel with higher carbohydrate concentration such as Precision Fuel & Hydration - PF 90 Energy Gel which has 90g of carbs per gel, Maurten - Gel 160 which has 40g of carbohydrates per gel, Styrkr - Gel50 Dual-Carb Energy Gel which has 50g of carbs per gel or Science In Sport (SIS) - Beta Fuel Energy Gel which has 40g of carbs per gel.
When do I consume Gels?
Gels are best consumed within training and racing in events over an hour. They are most commonly used in endurance events however can also be a useful pre-race fuel for high intensity events close to an hour such as HYROX.
If being used as a pre-training/event tool consume a gel 20 minutes prior. It takes about 20 minutes for a gel to be absorbed into the bloodstream and therefore if timed right you should get a boost in blood glucose levels right at your race start time.
In endurance events over an hour the timing and consumption of gels is going to depend on your carbohydrate needs per hour and duration of event. As a guide you should be looking to consume around 30g of carbs per hour for events lasting 1-2 hours. This would mean 1-2 gels every hour depending on the brand. For events over 2 hours you should be looking to consume somewhere between 60-120g of carbs per hour. This would look like consuming 2-6 gels per hour [ 1 gel every 10-30 mins ]. This does not, however, consider carbohydrate intake you would be getting through fluid/hydration mixes. Therefore gel intake is likely going to be less.
How do I know if a gel is working?
After around 20 minutes of consuming a gel you should notice an increase in energy as the gel is absorbed into the bloodstream and increases your blood sugar levels. If you don’t seem to notice this boost in energy, consider which gel you are consuming as you may not be absorbing the types of carbohydrates in that gel. Also keep in mind that dehydration will affect energy levels and performance much faster than energy deficiency. Focus on ensuring you are adequately hydrated before looking to change energy strategies.
