Rock it. Science
Perhaps you're racing in the VCM Winterlaufserie in December, or training for the 2026 Vienna marathon, and wondering: are sports drinks better than sports gels?
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Control = predictability
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Gels reduce control
A gel's low water content concentrates carbs, this increases sweetness and can intensify flavours too much. Low water content also makes gels viscous, so they remain in the mouth longer and have a slower passage to the stomach.
Gel digestion is suboptimal without added water. To aid digestion, some blood may be redirected away from working muscles.
3. Carb mixes increase control
Carb mixes make it easy to personalise doses to match energy needs and carb tolerance. Carb mixes are easily integrated into training; through bottles, hydration packs, on vests, belts, etc. Meanwhile, discarded gel packets create waste.
By the way, we don't believe in all-in-one (electrolyte + carb) products - your carb and electrolyte needs will differ.
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Innovation
Rock it. was launched in Vienna by us; Niki and Domi Dash at Dash² OG. We design our ideal products, and our Austrian production partner ensures high quality.
Science leads the way, and we believe we’ve made the best product we could. You have other options; even basic, homemade options may be okay (1), but we don't aim to be average. We care about what goes into our bodies, and we care about what goes into yours.
This venture emerged from the emotions of the running journey, a journey we honour with products for all endurance sports.
Flavour and function
All our ingredients are functional, so we are confident in the effect of both low and high doses. For example, even our stabiliser - medium chain triglycerides (C8) - is rapidly digested.
We're not making soft drinks, so we refused sweeteners. Still, flavour and appearance motivate consumption, so we combine natural flavours from fruit and beetroot, which creates that distinctive colour.
Elsewhere, xanthan supports ingestion and controls the dispersion of ingredients, while citric acid preserves, and improves ingredient synergy.
Marathon fuel
The energy release from slow carbs can be useful outside exercise (2). However, for endurance sports we mix fast carbs and slow carbs, and will not offer a product that only contains slow carbs. Here’s why:
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slow carb availability peaks approximately 60 minutes after ingestion (2), so the timing is challenging.
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(i) during exercise, fast carbs only elevate blood sugar slightly more than slow carbs, and (ii) the effect on insulin is very small (2).
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slow carbs are linked to fat metabolism, however, low intensity exercise already emphasises fat metabolism (2).
Example: The slow carb isomaltulose/Palatinose has been shown to increase fat utilisation in low intensity endurance exercise. Problem: However, it is associated with abdominal cramping, bloating, and reduced performance at the doses necessary for moderate to intense endurance exercise (3). Solution: Just use a fast & slow carb mix, varying the amount to match energy needs; it's less likely to cause indigestion (2).
Our fast carbs are glucose (a simple sugar/monosaccharide) and one of its long-chain forms; maltodextrin. There is evidence they can be particularly effective together (4). Additionally, combining fast and slow carbs improves oxidation; the processing of carbs for energy production (2):
“rates of exogenous carbohydrate oxidation can be increased (...) by the ingestion of multiple carbohydrates.” (5)
After efficient absorption in the small intestine, our chosen slow carbs - fructose and galactose - are processed in the liver, reducing the load on the intestines. In contrast, other slow carbs - amylopectin, amylose, isomaltulose, and trehalose - tend to remain in the intestines for an extended period of time.
Combining fructose and glucose in sports nutrition improves their oxidation. This combination can increase carb intake through the use of different intestinal transporters (SGLT-1; glucose, and GLUT5; fructose) (2, 6). Meanwhile, galactose is a generally well-tolerated simple sugar, naturally occurring in various foods (7).
How to fuel for a marathon
Carb mixes offer versatility - you may gradually adjust your carb intake in pursuit of greater carb tolerance. This “gut training” has the potential to improve performance without the messiness, intense taste, or texture of energy gels (4, 6, 8, 9).
Remember that the motion of your activity may alter carb digestion (8, 10).
Example: Consider the digestion challenges when running versus cycling.
Problem: The up-and-down motion of running can make digestion more difficult. Solution: Drink mixes can improve absorption rates.
Checklist:
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Will your endurance activity last over an hour?
"Yes!" - then fueling is particularly important. Draining carb stores during endurance exercise can reduce the next day’s performance, regardless of post-exercise nutrition (8).
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Are you a relatively large athlete?
If so, it's likely you can absorb more carbs, based on organ size (11).
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What is the recommended carb intake for endurance sports?
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Low-moderate energy needs: 1 dose (16g) per hour.
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Moderate-high energy needs: 2-3 doses (32-48g) per hour.
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High energy needs: 4+ doses per hour (64g+).
Sources ...
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Achten J, Jentjens RL, Brouns F, et al. Exogenous oxidation of isomaltulose is lower than that of sucrose during exercise in men. J Nutr 2007;137(5):1143-8. [published Online First: 2007/04/24].
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https://www.mysportscience.com/post/slow-carbs-during-exercise
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Oosthuyse T, Carstens M, Millen AM. Ingesting Isomaltulose Versus Fructose-Maltodextrin During Prolonged Moderate-Heavy Exercise Increases Fat Oxidation But Impairs Gastrointestinal Comfort and Cycling Performance. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2015 doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.2014-0178.
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Venables M, Brouns F, Jeukendrup A. Oxidation of maltose and trehalose during prolonged moderate intensity exercise Med Sci Sports Exerc 2008;In press.
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Viribay A, Arribalzaga S, Mielgo-Ayuso J, Castañeda-Babarro, Seco-Calvo J, Urdampilleta A. Effects of 120 g/h of Carbohydrates Intake during a Mountain Marathon on Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage in Elite Runners. Nutrients 12(5), 1367, 2020. doi: 10.3390/nu12051367
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Coelho AI, Berry GT, Rubio-Gozalbo ME. Galactose metabolism and health. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2015 Jul;18(4):422-7. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000189. PMID: 26001656.
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Jeukendrup AE. Training the Gut for Athletes. Sports Med. 2017 Mar;47(Suppl 1):101-110. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0690-6. PMID: 28332114; PMCID: PMC5371619.
10.https://runningmagazine.ca/health-nutrition/kipchoges-berlin-nutrition-plan/
11.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a_cVKwzHjM&t=4243s