Dumb down or nerd out?
Whereas I applaud Maurten’s effort within the taste division, the model popularized a development that I’m not a fan of — complicating issues with science to market vitality gels at greater costs. As a former producer of sports activities vitamin merchandise, I do know the price of many components, plus vitality gels are basically simply concentrated sugar water. Ought to they be so costly? (Listed here are some reasonably priced alternate options)
Like lots of you, I do take pleasure in nerding out on the science behind the vitality gels we take. For instance, the totally different pathways of glucose and fructose or how applied sciences similar to hydrogels and isotonic options can pace up the processing of carbohydrates. It’s all very instructional, and I admire all the nice movies and articles the manufacturers create.
I simply want they didn’t leverage the content material and advertising and marketing technique to justify charging extra.
Carbs Gas, a brand new model on the block, is bucking the development. Their product design and advertising and marketing message are additionally science-driven, however they “dumb it down” to simplify the science and supply affordability.
I hope we see extra manufacturers democratizing sports activities vitamin as an alternative of fostering exclusivity through pricing.
Separation as an alternative of integration
There are vitality gels that combine a boatload of extras: branched chain amino acids (BCAA), plentiful electrolytes, nutritional vitamins, unique components, and many others. After which there are gels that strip it all the way down to the bones and include just some objects similar to water, sugars, and thickeners.
A number of manufacturers following the latter path sometimes separate their merchandise into two classes:
- For replenishing carbohydrates
- For hydration and sustaining electrolyte steadiness.
Their vitality gels present sugar and little or no else. And if you happen to want one thing for hydration, they’ve separate product traces, normally near-zero sugar drink mixes and tablets filled with sodium and different important electrolytes.
They cause that athletes ought to be extra exact with their fueling. By dividing carbohydrate and electrolyte consumption into separate merchandise, you’ll be able to higher maintain monitor of what you devour to stop over-fueling that might trigger abdomen points and electrolyte imbalances.
There’s reality to that, but it surely’s additionally intelligent advertising and marketing. As an alternative of shopping for one merchandise, you now want two. And the stripped-down vitality gels aren’t essentially cheaper than choices with all of the bells and whistles.
