Skip to content
SPEND £60 OR MORE & GET A FREE LIFEJACKET SKIN CARE PACK
SPEND £75+ & GET A FREE LIFEJACKET PACK

Energy Gels

Dive into a world of endless energy possibilities with our wide range of energy gels, available in an array of shapes, flavours, and sizes. Designed to replenish your depleted carbohydrate stores during intense workouts, races, or whenever you need that extra boost, our energy gels are a game-changer for your performance.

Energy Gels: Insights

FIND OUT MORE

Why should you use Energy Gels?

Possibly the most convenient and effective way to fuel your body on the go is with energy gels. Whatever your distance from 10k to the marathon and beyond, understanding how energy gels work with your body, and knowing when and how to use them for maximum performance benefits is key.

WHY USE AN ENERGY GEL?

Your body uses two sources of fuel to feed your muscles; fat and carbohydrates. Whilst fat is widely available it’s slower to break down into usable energy making it more ineffective when competing in an endurance event over 2-3 hours.

This means your body will rely on carbohydrates as its primary fuel source. But your body can only store a limited amount of carbohydrates in the muscles, known as glycogen.

For example, when you are performing at half marathon pace or TT efforts this equates to approx. 90 minutes of effort, for a marathon pace run or sportive you are looking at about 120 minutes (2 hours) effort. These are the key facts to understand when and why you need to start fuelling.

SO, HOW CAN AN ENERGY GEL HELP?

In its simplest form, energy gels provide simple sugars that are first absorbed into your bloodstream as glucose giving you a spike in energy. It is then absorbed by active muscles and organs.

Each gel provides between 15 minutes to 45 minutes of energy with approximately 25g carbohydrates, in the form of simple sugars, an accessible energy source for your body to process.

However, it's not all about the carbohydrates, depending on the energy gel, other ingredients have been induced to to help boost your performance:

CAFFEINE - Can Improve Alertness & Concentration, Reaction Times and the ability to push harder for longer by lowering the perception of effort.

SODIUM (ELECTROLYTES) - Lack of sodium can cause - Muscle cramping, Heat illness, Inability to properly rehydrate, Increased risk for hyponatremia.

AMINO ACIDS (BCAAs) - Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle - Low levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) may contribute to fatigue or the perception of fatigue through a process called ‘central fatigue’.

Note: As caffeine is a stimulant consider alternating between caffeine and non-caffeine gels to ensure you don’t take on too much.

WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE AN ENERGY GEL?

Getting your fuelling right is key, don't wait until you need fuel as this is too late. This is the main reason why people say they are crashing or hitting the wall. The ideal time to consume an energy gel depends on you and your body.

The normal calculation is that you will feel the effects of an energy gel roughly 15 minutes after consumption.

Doubling the intake is not the answer, taking two at a time doesn’t mean you’ll get twice the energy burst, instead you’re likely to crash as your body attempts to process the sugar.

As an example we look at runners over the marathon and half marathon, this is a useful guide as to when you should take an energy gel using a 45 minute consumption gel:

HALF MARATHON (3 gels)

  • Start-line (up to 15 mins before race start)
  • Miles 5 & 10

MARATHON (5 gels + spare)

  • Start-line (up to 15 mins before race start)
  • Mile 5, 10, 15, 20
  • Have a spare for miles 23+

You will be looking to take on fuel via gels approximately every 45-60 minutes (5-7 miles) between gels, ensuring not to overload your stomach with the intake of too much simple sugar at once.

WARNING - Guides based on gels to be taken every 45 minutes.

Always check the packaging on energy gels for consumption information.

Some brands of energy gels recommend a gel every every 15 - 20 minutes (3 per hour), whilst others are designed to be taken every 45 minutes. Now think about that; would you really want to take on 12+ energy gels over the course of a marathon? Or would taking 6 of a different brand work better?  The big issue here is when someone under fuels - 1 energy gel doesn't always equal 1 energy gel.

ARE THEY GLOOPY? WHAT ARE GELS LIKE?

This is a very common question, and everyone has different tastes to what they like. Although usually water-based gels vary in consistency from chewy and thick to a drink-like consistency and with varied strength in taste.

With so many flavours on the market from citrus fruits, to the most decadent in desert flavours or your favourite espresso. The only way you will really know is to test a few different brands to see what consistency and flavour is for you.

SHOULD I TEST DIFFERENT GELS?

Practice, Practice, Practice. With all nutrition, you want to make sure you have a tried and tested method to get your required fuelling on-board long before race day and this is no different with energy gels.

Throughout your training you will be upping the miles and the best time to test products is on the long runs or rides to ensure you know when and which energy gels work best for you.

SHOULD I CONSUME WITH WATER?

It's always best to take energy gels with water, but it's not necessary with some energy gels.

Without water, some energy gels will take longer to digest and enter the bloodstream causing a delay in performance. Additionally, don't take energy gels with a sports drink unless you are consuming as part of a planned intake, the combined intake of energy gels and an energy drink puts you at risk of taking on too much sugar at once.

ENERGY GELS OR ENERGY CHEWS?

Energy gels and energy chews are both popular choices among active individuals looking for a quick and convenient source of carbohydrates to boost energy and endurance. Both products have their own benefits and drawbacks, and choosing the right one for you will depend on your personal preferences and needs.

Energy gels offer a quick and easy way to consume carbohydrates and electrolytes, but may not be suitable for those who dislike the texture or taste.

Energy chews, on the other hand, offer a more appealing taste and texture, but may take longer to consume and may not be suitable for those with dietary restrictions.

To find the best option for you, it's important to keep track of your experiences with different products, take note of what works and what doesn't, and make adjustments as needed. You can find out the major differences between energy gels and energy chews in our article here.


Energy Gels: Brands

  • GU Gels GU Energy Gel XMiles
    Offer
    GU

    GU Energy Gel

    From £2.00 - £39.75 GBP

    A mix of carbohydrates (maltodextrin and fructose) to maximise carbohydrate absorption and reduce GI distress, sodium to maintain hydration levels...

    View full details
  • Maurten Gels Box of 12 / GEL 100 GEL 100 XMiles
    Maurten Gels GEL 100 XMiles
    Maurten

    GEL 100

    From £2.90 - £32.40 GBP

    GEL 100 by Maurten is utilized by athletes globally for fuel during their workouts. Each gel features a custom combination of fructose and glucose...

    View full details
  • Torq Gels Apple Crumble TORQ Energy Gel - 45g Gel XMiles
    Torq Gels TORQ Energy Gel - 45g Gel XMiles
    Offer
    Torq

    TORQ Energy Gel

    From £2.15 - £29.50 GBP

    Each gel packs a punch, delivering 30 grams of carbohydrate (significantly more than many other brands) allowing it to function as part of the uniq...

    View full details
  • Maurten Gels Single Serve / GEL 100 CAF 100 GEL 100 CAF 100 (40g) XMiles
    Maurten Gels Gel 100 CAF 100 Gel 100 CAF 100 XMiles
    Maurten

    GEL 100 CAF 100

    From £3.50 - £38.50 GBP

    GEL 100 CAF 100 from Maurten is the perfect endurance supplement. Get 100mg of caffeine plus a balanced 0.8:1 ratio of fructose and glucose for fa...

    View full details
  • Precision Hydration Gels Single Serve PF 30 Gel XMiles
    Precision Hydration Gels Single Serve PF 30 Gel XMiles
    Offer
    Precision Fuel & Hydration

    PF 30 Gel

    From £2.25 - £29.99 GBP

    Engineered with the athlete in mind, this gel provides a quick and efficient way to replenish your energy levels with 30g of carbohydrates. Whethe...

    View full details
  • Spring Gels Bag of 20 Awesome Sauce (Vegan) Load of Healthy Carbs XMiles
    Spring Gels Awesome Sauce (Vegan) Awesome Sauce (Vegan) Load of Healthy Carbs XMiles
    Spring

    Awesome Sauce

    From £3.55 - £66.00 GBP

    Load of Healthy Carbs. Spring Awesome Sauce  is a delicious and highly energizing energy gel packed with healthy carbs, sodium, and Vitamin C, per...

    View full details
  • Spring Gels New Batch / Bag of 20 CanaBERRY (Vegan) - Any Distance Fuel XMiles
    Spring Gels Canaberry (Vegan) Canaberry (Vegan) - Any Distance Fuel XMiles
    Offer
    Spring

    CanaBERRY

    From £3.55 - £66.00 GBP

    Any Distance Fuel. Introducing the Spring CanaBERRY Energy Gel, an exceptional fuel for high-intensity running, whether it's a challenging 10k or ...

    View full details
  • High5 Gels High 5 Energy Gel Sachet 40g XMiles
    High5 Gels Energy Gel XMiles
    Offer
    High5

    Energy Gel

    From £1.49 - £19.00 GBP

    Introducing High5 Energy Gel, the ultimate fuel for your active lifestyle. Designed to provide an instant and sustained energy boost during exerci...

    View full details
  • Veloforte Gels Primo Veloforte Natural Energy Gels 33g XMiles
    Veloforte Gels Natural Energy Gels XMiles
    Offer
    Veloforte

    Natural Energy Gels

    From £2.20 - £47.55 GBP

    Introducing Veloforte Natural Energy Gels, a revolutionary range of performance-enhancing gels that combine the power of real fruit with the pures...

    View full details
  • SiS Gels Orange Beta Fuel Gel XMiles
    SiS Gels Beta Fuel Gel XMiles
    Offer
    SiS

    Beta Fuel Gel

    From £2.20 - £62.70 GBP

    Introducing the Beta Fuel Dual Source Energy Gel, a groundbreaking addition to our world-leading fuelling solution range. Engineered with a revolu...

    View full details
  • Kendal Mint Co. Gels Citrus & Mint KMC Energy Gel 70g XMiles
    Kendal Mint Co. Gels KMC Energy Gel 70g XMiles
    Offer
    Kendal Mint Co.

    Energy Gel

    From £1.65 - £36.85 GBP

    Introducing KMC Energy Gel, the ultimate solution for fast and effective energy replenishment during your workouts. With its intelligent Dual-Carb...

    View full details
  • Spring Gels New Batch / Bag of 20 Long Haul - Any Distance Fuel XMiles
    Spring Gels Long Haul Long Haul - Any Distance Fuel XMiles
    Spring

    Long Haul

    From £3.55 - £66.00 GBP

    Any Distance Fuel. Introducing Spring Energy Long Haul, the ultimate solution for individuals engaged in long-distance activities that demand a su...

    View full details
  • Spring Gels New Batch / Bag of 20 Power Rush - Perfect Pre-Race & Race Fuel XMiles
    Spring Gels Power Rush Power Rush - Perfect Pre-Race & Race Fuel XMiles
    Sold out
    Spring

    Power Rush

    From £3.55 - £66.00 GBP

    Perfect Pre-Race & Race Fuel. Introducing Spring Energy's Power Rush Gel, the perfect pre-race fuel and energy booster for endurance training....

    View full details