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02 During vs Maurten, SIS, Tailwind & Isostar
06/01/2022
In this article, we will compare 02 During with several competitors. Which is the "best" product during exercise and why?
The information described in this article comes from research carried out by the (MSc) Master's students of the University of Wageningen on behalf of and in collaboration with Victus.
Some companies already provide supplements that are consumed during exercise. The most common exercise products from the direct competitors of Victus are described below. All information is retrieved from competitors’ websites and can be found online.
Maurten
Maurten uses hydrogels filled with carbohydrates to obtain sports supplements with high concentrations of carbohydrates with a reduced risk of Gl problems. They have supplements in a drink and a gel form:
Maurten uses hydrogels filled with carbohydrates to obtain sports supplements with high concentrations of carbohydrates with a reduced risk of Gl problems. They have supplements in a drink and a gel form:
- Mix Drink, with and without caffeine. This is a powdered form that should be mixed with water to obtain the drink. In the stomach, the drink is converted into a hydrogel due to the acidity of the stomach. In the intestine, water, salt and carbohydrates are absorbed.
- Gel 100. The hydrogel is already formed in production (combining sodium alginate & calcium carbonate).
Ingredients of Maurten Products:
Maurten Drink Mix contains maltodextrin, fructose, pectin, sodium alginate and sodium chloride. Caffeine is added to the Mix Drink with Caffeine. The gels contain water, glucose, fructose, calcium carbonate, gluconic acid and sodium alginate.
Maurten Drink Mix contains maltodextrin, fructose, pectin, sodium alginate and sodium chloride. Caffeine is added to the Mix Drink with Caffeine. The gels contain water, glucose, fructose, calcium carbonate, gluconic acid and sodium alginate.
Usage of Maurten products:
The powder form is available in two dosages, Mix Drink 320, with 320 kcal per serving and Mix Drink 160, with 160 kcal per serving. A serving for Mix Drink 320 is 80 g of powder and for Mix Drink 160, the serving size is 40 g of powder. The 320 kcal powder is also available as a caffeine variant. In all the variants of Maurten, you mix the sachet with 500 mL of water and shake for 30-60 seconds until the powder is dissolved. The drink needs to be consumed within 24 hours. The Gel 100, with 100 kcal per serving of 40 g is available with and without caffeine and can be consumed directly.
The powder form is available in two dosages, Mix Drink 320, with 320 kcal per serving and Mix Drink 160, with 160 kcal per serving. A serving for Mix Drink 320 is 80 g of powder and for Mix Drink 160, the serving size is 40 g of powder. The 320 kcal powder is also available as a caffeine variant. In all the variants of Maurten, you mix the sachet with 500 mL of water and shake for 30-60 seconds until the powder is dissolved. The drink needs to be consumed within 24 hours. The Gel 100, with 100 kcal per serving of 40 g is available with and without caffeine and can be consumed directly.
Tailwind
Tailwind has a glucose/sucrose fuel supplement with carbohydrates and electrolytes. Like Maurten, they have a powder and gels:
Tailwind has a glucose/sucrose fuel supplement with carbohydrates and electrolytes. Like Maurten, they have a powder and gels:
- Endurance Fuel, with and without caffeine. This is a powder that should be mixed with water.
- Sticks, with and without caffeine. These are gels that can be added to a water bottle.
Ingredients:
Both the Endurance Fuel powder and Sticks contain glucose, sucrose, sea salt, sodium citrate, citric acid, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate and magnesium citrate, and caffeine in the caffeinated variant.
Both the Endurance Fuel powder and Sticks contain glucose, sucrose, sea salt, sodium citrate, citric acid, potassium chloride, calcium carbonate and magnesium citrate, and caffeine in the caffeinated variant.
Usage of Tailwind products:
For Tailwind Endurance Fuel, two or three scoops of the powder need to be mixed with 500 mL of water. One scoop corresponds to 27 g of powder.
For Tailwind Endurance Fuel, two or three scoops of the powder need to be mixed with 500 mL of water. One scoop corresponds to 27 g of powder.
Science in Sport
Science in Sport has created different supplements to be used during exercise.
Science in Sport has created different supplements to be used during exercise.
- Beta Fuel. This is a powder form, that should be mixed with water to obtain an isotonic drink with a 2:1 ratio of maltodextrin:fructose and in total 80 g carbohydrates. The drink also contains sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium.
- Go Electrolytes. Another supplement in a powdered form with carbohydrates and electrolytes as the main ingredients.
- Go Isotonic Energy Gel. This supplement in gel form contains 22 g of carbohydrates.
- Energy Bakes. In solid form, with 30 g carbohydrates and 10 g fructose.
- Energy Bars. Also, the Go Energy Bars are developed, containing carbohydrates and proteins, but are low in fat.
- Hydro Tablets. These are tablets that should be dissolved in water. The tablets contain mainly electrolytes and can be taken when hydration is required without the consumption of additional calories. Next to the standard gel, Science in Sport developed gels with added caffeine (75 mg), gels with added nitrate (250mg) and gels with added electrolytes (118 mg sodium, 9.5 mg potassium and 1.5 mg magnesium). In addition to the bars, they have a variant with added nitrates (250 mg).
Usage of Science in Sport products:
Of the Beta Fuel powder, 84 g needs to be taken and complemented with 500 mL water. Of Go Electrolytes, 40 g powder with 500 mL needs to be taken. Of the tablets, one tablet should be dissolved in 500 mL water. The bars and gels can be consumed directly.
Of the Beta Fuel powder, 84 g needs to be taken and complemented with 500 mL water. Of Go Electrolytes, 40 g powder with 500 mL needs to be taken. Of the tablets, one tablet should be dissolved in 500 mL water. The bars and gels can be consumed directly.
Isostar
For during-exercise, Isostar has a variety of powders for a drink, bars, tablets and gels on the market. They have developed:
For during-exercise, Isostar has a variety of powders for a drink, bars, tablets and gels on the market. They have developed:
- Hydrate and Perform. This is a powder to which water needs to be added. This drink is not necessarily meant to be taken only during the exercise, but also before and after exercise.
- Endurance+ Energy Sports Drink. This is a powdered isotonic drink meant for exercise sessions lasting longer than three hours. The drink is meant for before, during and after exercise.
- Powertabs Fast Hydration. These are tablets that should be dissolved in water. The Powertabs are specially used for short and high-intensity exercises.
- Energy Sports Bars. These Bars contain a mix of simple and complex carbohydrates.
- Endurance + Energy Sports Bars. The Endurance + Energy Sports Bars are supposed to be used for longer exercise (more than two hours). The bars contain simple and complex carbohydrates.
- Fruit Gel Energy. This gel is recommended for exercises that are longer in duration (more than 1.5 hours) at high intensity. The gel contains mainly carbohydrates and some additional vitamins.
- Endurance + Energy Tablets. These tablets contain mainly simple carbohydrates, to facilitate fast energy uptake. Besides that, they contain magnesium and vitamins.
- Sport & Energy Cake. The cakes contain carbohydrates and vitamin B.
Usage of Isostar products:
Two Powertabs tablets should be dissolved in 500 mL of water. Of the Hydrate and Perform powder, two spoons should be added to 500 mL water. Of the Endurance+ Energy drink, seven spoons should be added to 500 mL water. The bars and cakes can be consumed directly. The Endurance + Energy Tablets can be consumed without water. They can be consumed by chewing.
Two Powertabs tablets should be dissolved in 500 mL of water. Of the Hydrate and Perform powder, two spoons should be added to 500 mL water. Of the Endurance+ Energy drink, seven spoons should be added to 500 mL water. The bars and cakes can be consumed directly. The Endurance + Energy Tablets can be consumed without water. They can be consumed by chewing.
Comparison between competitors
An overview in more detail of the nutritional facts of the different products of different competitive brands is provided in the tables in the appendix. Supplements in powder form can be found in Table 1, gels in Table 2 and solid forms in Table 3 in Appendix 10.1. Here, the main differences between the products of different competitors are described.
An overview in more detail of the nutritional facts of the different products of different competitive brands is provided in the tables in the appendix. Supplements in powder form can be found in Table 1, gels in Table 2 and solid forms in Table 3 in Appendix 10.1. Here, the main differences between the products of different competitors are described.
Supplements in powder form mostly consist of carbohydrates. The carbohydrate content is more than 90 g per 100 g of the product in all brands. There is also a difference in the type of carbohydrates in the powders. In Tailwind, all the carbohydrates are sugars (simple carbohydrates), while in the other products also complex carbohydrates are present. None of the powdered drinks contains fat. All the powders contain salt, varying in the range of 0.47 g to 4.0 g salt per 100 g product. The powders of Isostar contain vitamins. Calcium, magnesium and potassium are present in the Tailwind and Science in Sport powders. All the powders need to be dissolved in around 500 mL of water. The amount of powder to be added varies heavily between the powders.
Maurten, Science in Sport and Isostar all have gels on the market. All three competitors have carbohydrates as the main ingredient of their exercise products. In the Maurten gel, the carbohydrates are all simple sugars, while Science in Sport and Isostar have both simple and complex carbohydrates. The gel of Science in Sport mainly contains complex carbohydrates. The Science in Sport gel contains fibres, but the other gels do not. All the gels contain salt. The Isostar gel contains Vitamins E, C and B1, while gels from other Victus Sports competitors do not.
All the bars and cakes have a serving size of between 40 and 50 g. In contrast to powdered drinks, bars and cakes contain fat and protein. The main ingredients are carbohydrates, both complex and simple carbohydrates. The Science in Sports Bar and the Cake from Isostar contain fibres, while the other products do not. The Isostar bars also contain a variety of vitamins.
Comparison products with and without caffeine The Maurten Gel with caffeine contains 250 mg of caffeine per 100 g. The gels with and without caffeine contain the same amount of carbohydrates. The only difference between these gels is that the gel with caffeine contains more salt (138.5 mg) than the gel without caffeine (125 mg) per 100 g. The Mix 320 Drink with added 120 g caffeine per 100 g, contains 95 g carbohydrates and without caffeine 99 g of carbohydrates. The salt in the caffeine variant is again higher (0.76 g) than in the variant without (0.63 g). The Tailwind Endurance Fuel with and without caffeine only differ in caffeine content and not on other aspects of the nutritional composition. The caffeinated variant contains 130 mg of caffeine per 100 g.
CONCLUDING FINDINGS
• Competitors have multiple products on the market for during an exercise with different administration forms, instead of one product that can be used by every athlete.
• The solid products contain a more diverse composition of ingredients than gels and powders.
• All powder supplements contain carbohydrates and salt.
• Tailwind Endurance Fuel only contains simple sugars as a carbohydrate source, while the products of other competitors from Victus Sport contain a mixture of complex and simple sugars.
• Powders from multiple competitors contain the electrolytes calcium, magnesium and potassium. However, there is no scientific evidence that these electrolytes enhance performance when taken during exercise.
• After 02 During, Maurten has the cleanest powder drink on the market from the analysed competitors of Victus, since no unnecessary electrolytes and vitamins are added.
• Competitors have multiple products on the market for during an exercise with different administration forms, instead of one product that can be used by every athlete.
• The solid products contain a more diverse composition of ingredients than gels and powders.
• All powder supplements contain carbohydrates and salt.
• Tailwind Endurance Fuel only contains simple sugars as a carbohydrate source, while the products of other competitors from Victus Sport contain a mixture of complex and simple sugars.
• Powders from multiple competitors contain the electrolytes calcium, magnesium and potassium. However, there is no scientific evidence that these electrolytes enhance performance when taken during exercise.
• After 02 During, Maurten has the cleanest powder drink on the market from the analysed competitors of Victus, since no unnecessary electrolytes and vitamins are added.
Comparing 02 During to existing sports supplements on the market, 02 During holds the advantage on the following points:
• 02 During is clean, unlike competing products, in the sense that it does not contain any unnecessary and overhyped nutrients.
• Hourly intake is the lowest and most straightforward. Athletes should either aim for 30-60 g/h during shorter/low-intensity training (45 g/h on average), or 90 g/h when training high-intensity or longer than two hours. That's either 1, or 2 units per hour, compared to more confusing advice from competitors
• The ingredients are based on scientific evidence and the consensus of the most highly rated sports institutes in the world.
• The usage of single-use sachets is customer-friendly and ensures consistent dosages.
• The glucose/maltodextrin:fructose ratio promotes carbohydrate absorption and oxidation. The 2:1 ratio is the most effective with the least side effects for the athletes.
• Providing two versions of the same supplement, with and without caffeine, gives athletes the choice to control their caffeine intake during exercise.
• 02 During should not be in the form of a hydrogel (Maurten) consisting of pectin or alginate, because there is little evidence that this enhances performance. Additionally, pectin and alginate do not enhance performance when consumed separately.
• 02 During is clean, unlike competing products, in the sense that it does not contain any unnecessary and overhyped nutrients.
• Hourly intake is the lowest and most straightforward. Athletes should either aim for 30-60 g/h during shorter/low-intensity training (45 g/h on average), or 90 g/h when training high-intensity or longer than two hours. That's either 1, or 2 units per hour, compared to more confusing advice from competitors
• The ingredients are based on scientific evidence and the consensus of the most highly rated sports institutes in the world.
• The usage of single-use sachets is customer-friendly and ensures consistent dosages.
• The glucose/maltodextrin:fructose ratio promotes carbohydrate absorption and oxidation. The 2:1 ratio is the most effective with the least side effects for the athletes.
• Providing two versions of the same supplement, with and without caffeine, gives athletes the choice to control their caffeine intake during exercise.
• 02 During should not be in the form of a hydrogel (Maurten) consisting of pectin or alginate, because there is little evidence that this enhances performance. Additionally, pectin and alginate do not enhance performance when consumed separately.