Maltodextrin Sports Drinks

Which common sports drinks contain maltodextrin

Common on the market Gatorade, Pocari Sweat and many other well-known brands, its formula is not less maltodextrin. There are also energy gels and recovery drinks designed for professional athletes or high-intensity training, and maltodextrin is a key ingredient. If the 1 sports drink emphasizes fast energy supply, there is a high probability that it will contain maltodextrin.

What is maltodextrin and what role does it play in sports drinks

maltodextrin is what

First of all, we need to answer this question: is maltodextrin sugar? Yes, but it is not the sugar with a strong sweet taste that we usually call “sucrose”, but 1 a special “polysaccharide”.

Simply put, maltodextrin is like a chain of small glucose beads strung together.

It is made of corn, potatoes, rice and other starch (that is, the kind of macromolecules in the rice and potatoes we eat) through processing and decomposition (hydrolysis).

Its molecular size is between the large starch molecules and the smallest glucose molecules. starch is a long string of glucose, and the malt paste consists of relatively short glucose chains, larger than individual glucose molecules but smaller than starch molecules.

Therefore, maltodextrin is the 1 kind of special carbohydrate that can provide energy quickly, is not high in sweetness, and is easy to digest.

How maltodextrin can power human movement

Maltodextrin is essentially a 1 carbohydrate, composed of multiple glucose units, but its structure is more complex than glucose and simpler than starch. This gives it a very desirable characteristic-fast digestion and absorption, but it does not cause sharp fluctuations in blood sugar like monosaccharides. This means that it is quickly absorbed by the intestine and converted into glucose, which then enters the bloodstream to provide immediate and continuous energy to the muscles. This rapid energy supplement is essential for long-term or high-intensity exercise. It can help us maintain blood sugar levels and avoid the feeling of “hitting the wall” during exercise.

How Maltodextrin in Sports Drinks Can Improve Sports Performance

Studies have shown (insert the outer chain here: https://pubs.aip.org/aip/acp/article-abstract/2586/1/060012/2870382/Sport-drink-containing-maltodextrin-to-improve?redirectedFrom=fulltext) that taking sports drinks containing maltodextrin during long-term high-intensity exercise can improve the physical performance of athletes. So what role does maltodextrin play in it?

• Maintain blood sugar stability: During high-intensity or long-term exercise, the body will quickly consume blood sugar. When blood sugar levels drop, the brain will send fatigue signals, resulting in decreased exercise capacity, and even dizziness, poor coordination and other conditions. The maltodextrin in high carb beverages can be quickly absorbed to provide a stable source of glucose for the blood, thus effectively combating this drop in blood sugar, allowing athletes to maintain a state of concentration and high efficiency.
• Directly support muscle work: muscles need ATP (3 adenosine monophosphate) as direct energy during contraction. One of the main sources of ATP is glucose. The glucose produced by the breakdown of maltodextrin can be quickly used by muscle cells to synthesize ATP, ensuring that muscles have sufficient energy reserves every time they exert their power. This means that athletes can complete more repetitions, run faster and farther, or maintain stronger explosive power during competitions.
• Delay glycogen depletion: glycogen stored in our muscles and liver is the main source of energy for exercise. The supplement of maltodextrin can significantly delay the consumption rate of glycogen in the body. When the glycogen reserves in the body are exhausted, the body has to turn to fat and protein for energy, which will greatly reduce the efficiency and be accompanied by extreme fatigue (commonly known as “hitting the wall”). By supplementing maltodextrin during exercise, we can postpone this “wall” point in time, so that we can persist longer and get better performance.
• Reduce muscle damage and accelerate recovery after exercise: If the energy state can be better maintained during exercise, the pressure on the body caused by exercise will be relatively small, which is indirectly conducive to faster recovery.

Advantages and precautions for taking maltodextrin sports drink

maltodextrin nutrition data

advantages

Rapid absorption and energy supply: this is its most striking feature.

Maltodextrin has a simpler molecular structure than complex carbohydrates, but is more complex than monosaccharides, so it can be quickly broken down into glucose in the gut and absorbed.

This means that energy can reach the muscles very quickly, providing an immediate energy supplement to the movement, which is essential for high intensity or sustained exercise.

Relatively mild blood glucose response: Maltodextrin-induced blood glucose fluctuations are generally more gentle than with pure glucose.

This means that it is less likely to cause blood sugar to spike rapidly and then fall down quickly, being able to maintain a more stable energy level during exercise and avoiding sudden fatigue.

Lower osmotic pressure, less gastrointestinal discomfort: osmotic pressure refers to the concentration of solute particles in a solution.

Drinks with high osmotic pressure (such as those containing large amounts of monosaccharides) may be absorbed slowly in the gut and draw water from the body, causing gastrointestinal discomfort such as bloating and diarrhea. Maltodextrin has a relatively large molecular weight and at the same energy density, its osmotic pressure is lower than that of a simple sugar, and therefore it is more acceptable to the body, reducing gastrointestinal problems that can occur during exercise.

Neutral in taste, easy to mix: the maltodextrin itself is very low in sweetness and almost tasteless.

This allows it to be easily mixed with other flavors or electrolytes to make a more natural-tasting sports drink or as a primary ingredient in maltodextrin energy gel without adding too much sweetness.

Precautions for taking :

• Not applicable to all sports scenarios: if it is just a 30-60 minute light workout, walk or yoga, the glycogen stored by the body is usually sufficient to cope, and a white water or regular electrolyte drink supplement is sufficient. Only when performing long (more than 60 minutes) or high intensity exercise, supplementation with maltodextrin products is considered to maintain energy.
• Pay attention to intake: on the one hand, unnecessary energy intake can lead to excess calorie build-up; on the other hand, even with low osmotic maltodextrin, excessive concentrations can cause gastrointestinal discomfort, such as flatulence or mild diarrhea. So, be sure to adjust your intake based on the intensity and duration of your exercise, as well as your individual body response.
• Possible lack of electrolytes: After prolonged exercise, the body loses a lot of electrolytes through sweat. Therefore, when using maltodextrin, it is best to accompany sports drinks or supplements containing electrolytes such as sodium and potassium to maintain fluid balance and prevent cramps and dehydration.
• There should be no complete substitution of solid foods: sports drinks are an aid and not a complete substitute for a balanced diet. In our daily diet, we still need to get all kinds of vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber from grains, fruits, vegetables.

The best time to take

Before exercise:

• Timing: It is generally recommended to ingest 30-60 minutes before exercise.
• Effect: Maltodextrin pre workout ingested in small amounts can help to quickly increase blood sugar levels, pre-supplement the glycogen reserves of muscles and liver, and provide starting energy for subsequent exercise. This is effective in avoiding asthenia caused by hypoglycemia during exercise for people who do not have time to eat breakfast, or who are long away from their previous meal before exercise.

In sports:

• Timing: This is the key time when maltodextrin can be used to its maximum effect. For medium – and high-intensity endurance sports lasting more than 60 minutes (such as marathons, long-distance riding, hiking, etc.), it is recommended to continue to supplement every hour from about 45-60 minutes after the start of the exercise.
• Effect: Continuous maltodextrin supplementation can effectively maintain blood sugar stability, delay muscle glycogen depletion, thereby prolonging exercise time, maintaining exercise intensity, and delaying body and brain fatigue. Can significantly improve the overall performance of the sport, thus better achieving the set goals.

After exercise:

• Timing: After the exercise, especially 30-60 minutes after high intensity or long exercise.
• Effect: The absorption and utilization of nutrients by the body is most efficient at this time. Post workout maltodextrin rapidly replenishes muscle glycogen and liver glycogen consumed during exercise. Rapid glycogen recovery is essential to shorten recovery time, reduce muscle aches, and prepare for your next training session.

It can also be ingested with proteins (such as whey protein“ to form a combination of ”carbohydrate + protein, which not only supplements glycogen, but also promotes muscle repair and growth for optimal recovery.

Alternatives to Maltodextrin

• Glucose: the most direct monosaccharide, the absorption speed is very fast, but it may lead to large fluctuations in blood sugar, and the osmotic pressure is relatively high, which is easy to cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
• Fructose: mainly metabolized by the liver, the absorption rate is slower than glucose, mixed with glucose can improve the absorption rate of carbohydrates, reduce gastrointestinal burden.
• Amylopectin: This is the 1 relatively new high-quality carbohydrate. It is characterized by high molecular weight, low osmotic pressure, stable digestion and absorption, can provide continuous energy, and reduce gastrointestinal discomfort. It is an excellent substitute for maltodextrin. Especially suitable for long-term endurance exercise.

How to choose different sports drinks

Short-term high-intensity exercise (such as strength training, HIIT): This type of exercise energy consumption mainly comes from muscle glycogen, maltodextrin or glucose can be quickly supplemented, but if the exercise time does not exceed 60 minutes, no additional supplement is required, white water is sufficient.

Long endurance sports (such as marathons, long distance cycling): Maltodextrin is a good choice because it provides continuous energy and has less burden on the gastrointestinal tract. If you are looking for more stable and gentle energy release, you can also consider products containing amylopectin.

Gastrointestinal sensitive: choose maltodextrin or amylopectin products with low osmotic pressure to avoid excessive monosaccharides.

After understanding the effect of food supplements, you can also try homemade sports drinks (insert the outer chain here:

https://www.rikdevoogd.com/blog/make-your-own-sports-drink-based-on-just-3-ingredients)

Summary

In the process of sports and fitness, drinking sports drinks containing maltodextrin can effectively improve sports performance and accelerate body recovery. But in the selection and use, we should also combine their own sports needs and physical condition, choose the right sports drinks, in order to achieve the best training and competition effect.