Contributed by Dr. Byron Fergerson, Chief Scientist
Sugar avoiders often troll Freak Shake because we use cane sugar in many of our endurance fueling & recovery products. We get it—sugar is the villain of every wellness podcast, and we aren't about to argue it belongs in your salad dressing.
Sugar tastes delicious which is no evolutionary accident. It's an extremely effective energy source which was scarce when we were primitive humans hunting & foraging for food. Having a keen sweet tooth embedded in our DNA made us good at identifying a good food source.
The fact that sugar exerts a powerful craving on our senses may also be the reason sugar avoiders can be such passionate fist shakers. It's difficult to exercise a level of self discipline required to completely override the sweet circuit in our brains. Stop making it harder with your delicious sugary drinks Freak Shake!
Our modern food ecosystem has made sugar cheap and abundant in processed foods and beverages. That has transformed sugar from a necessity into an indulgence which should be moderated when you’re eating.
But during and immediately after a hard endurance workout, race or competition, you’re not eating - you’re fueling!
Why is Sugar an ideal fuel for endurance exercise?
Sugar is the most effective tool we have to support the amazing physiological changes that long duration or high intensity cardio exercise imposes on our muscles.
While at rest and just living our lives, we rely on fat metabolism to power about 60-70% of our energy needs throughout the day. Fat contains more than twice the calories of carbohydrates which makes it a great way to store energy. But muscle cells convert fat relatively slowly into the energy molecules they utilize to power exercise. This chemical process called fat oxidation is like a governor that limits a car’s top speed by restricting the flow of gasoline to the engine.
As exercise intensity and duration increases, our muscles start accessing carbohydrates to make up the difference in energy demand that fat can supply. Compared to fat, carbohydrates are available almost immediately in the form of glycogen stored in our muscles and liver. This makes carbs an excellent secondary fuel source after we max out our capacity to utilize fat when we need the extra energy to push.
Fat and Carbohydrate Metabolism as Exertion Increases (Illustrative)
So at lower heartrates in zone 1 or 2, we're relying mostly on aerobic fat & oxygen metabolism to power exercise. And because fat is so energy dense, we can sustain low intensity aerobic output for a long time before fatiguing.
Unfortunately because carbs contain less energy than fat, our endurance is limited as we shift into higher heart rate zones or prolong continuous exercise past 90-120 minutes. With a full tank, we can store just enough carbohydrate energy reserves to power about 90-120 minutes of moderate to intense exercise, and then we bonk. Bonking is our body's way of forcing us to slow down or stop, replenish glycogen reserves and recover, and it SUCKS.
Unless we fuel! This is why fueling is different than eating. We can help our bodies prolong depletion during endurance exercise (and recover quickly after) by ingesting sugar. Sugars are simple carbohydrates that enter the blood stream much faster than complex "slow carbs" found in grains, legumes, fruits & vegetables which need to be completely digested first. When trying to stay ahead of glycogen depletion during or immediately after endurance, fast is good.
Some sugars like glucose, fructose or dextrose, are single molecules that can be absorbed directly into the blood. Good old fashioned cane sugar, (sucrose) is composed of a fructose and glucose molecule and must be disassembled in the gut before entering the blood stream to be converted and stored as glycogen.
We incorporate a bit of dextrose into our FUEL & HYDRATE and RECOVER drink mixes to help get glycogen synthesis started as fast as possible. It still takes 10-20 minutes to enter our blood stream (unless administered intravenously). Cane sugar makes up the balance of our carbohydrate blend and takes 15-30 minutes to raise blood sugar levels.
Freak Shake uses cane sugar even though It takes a little longer to kick in for two reasons:
- Because it contributes both glucose and fructose molecules which are absorbed through separate pathways to the blood, cane sugar can increase the rate of glycogen replacement compared to other single-molecule forms of sugar.
- Remember how good "real" sugar tastes? We wanted our fueling & recovery blends to taste amazing because attaching small (delicious) rewards to your training is a proven performance habit. And for the long distance endurance athletes who already understand the value of high carb fueling during long workouts or races, you will be able to ingest more carbs per hour when you're not dreading the taste of your next sip.
Intra Workout Carb-Fueling Guidance
When fueling intra workout, it's important to meter intake with sugar about every 20 minutes so you can stay ahead of glycogen depletion and bonking. Studies vary, but fueling with 50-115 grams of carbohydrates per hour of endurance exercise is suggested for an average sized (165 lb) athlete. Longer sessions and heavier athletes will need more hourly carb intake to sustain effort.
Carbohydrate Fueling per Hour of Exercise (Grams)
| Weight 120 lbs | 165 lbs | 200 lbs | |
| Short / Moderate (<2.5 hours) | 40 g | 50 | 65 |
| Long (2.5 - 4 hours) | 55 | 75 | 90 |
| Ultra (>4 hours) | 80 | 115 | 140 |
In sports like cycling or triathlon, athletes have been aggressively experimenting with high carb fueling in recent years, with elite riders commonly ingesting 150 g per hour while carrying just 140-165 lbs of body mass!
So if you’ve been avoiding sugar during & after your endurance training because you’re trying to stay true to your health goals, remember fueling is not the same as eating. It is a performance tool.
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