How Maltodextrin & Fructose works to increase performance in endurance athletes!
Here’s why:
Much of the energy that we use during endurance sports comes from consumed carbohydrates that are converted into glycogen and stored in our muscles. Glycogen can then be quickly broken down into glucose and used to fuel the muscles. That is our main energy source. The liver also stores glycogen, which has been converted from fructose and serves as an additional “fuel tank” to power your muscles. Your liver is your last resort for energy stores. We want to keep your carbohydrates high to delay that fatigue that you get later in races or training.
Here's were it gets interesting!
Utilizing two different carbohydrate absorption systems optimizes your energy to keep going. The main route for glucose absorption from the gut is through a transporter called SGLT1 – a protein that acts like a door, helping glucose go from the gut to the bloodstream. SGLT1 has a maximum capacity and can only transport around one gram of glucose per minute (240 calories/hour). Fructose, however, is absorbed with a different transporter, called GLUT5. By using both transporters you can increase the amount of carbohydrate the body can use during exercise up to approximately 300 calories/hour.
GLUT5’s sole job in life is to transport fructose, so if you’re not consuming fructose then you’re not using the GLUT5 transporter … it’s like have an additional fuel line and not using it, why would you do that? In addition, your secondary fuel tank (your liver) will be underutilized.
Bottom Line
If you want to “be your best”, incorporate Hydro Power to push yourself to be the best you can be!
The main ingredient in our products is maltodextrin, a complex carbohydrate. Added to the maltodextrin is fructose in levels that can be efficiently processed and stored by the liver, thus supplementing your total available energy without causing any stomach issues. Check out Hydro Power here!
References
Don’t just take our word for it. Maltodextrin and Fructose has been researched and proven to work efficiently with athletes. Using fructose and maltodextrin together increases total carbohydrate transport, available energy, and oxidation (Jentjiens, 2004, Wallis, 2005). The combination of fructose and maltodextrin also allows an athlete to exercise at a higher percent of VO2max, once the muscle glycogen stores have been depleted (Smith, 2010).