A Review of the Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel

There you are, in the middle of a marathon. Your months of training, miles traversed in anticipation for this event, and now 13 miles in and you’re beginning to feel it: the wall. With each step you feel the energy draining bit by bit and wondering where it all went. Is there anything one can do to avoid hitting this moment of peak exhaustion to power through toward the finish line?

Energy gels and carbohydrate supplements have been on the market for a long while now, often found in gyms to provide exercisers with the endurance to push their limits to the max without crashing. Now popular among marathoners and running enthusiasts, these products provide them with that extra boost to keep going without feeling fatigue. Packing a powerful punch of carbs, sodium, and a bit of sugar, these low-cal energy-providing products have exploded, with seemingly every dietary supplement and fitness company vying to find a devoted following among athletes.

Gatorade—one of the premiere sports-themed beverage and food product company in the world—has made its debut in this emerging market with a host of energy supplements, and perhaps their most convenient option is the Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel. Formulated to help the fueling needs of endurance athletes, their Endurance Energy Gel comes in a variety of flavors and each pouch (usually 1.3 ounces/37 grams) helps replenish carbohydrates depleted during an extended run or exercise routine. At only 80 calories per pouch, this easy-to-consume gel is based on sports science research of the most efficient methods of replenishing severely diminished carbohydrate levels that drop during lengthy periods of continuous exercise.

Packaging

The first thing one notices about the Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel is its container. It comes in a small pouch that can fit into a pocket or, for the experienced long-distance runner, on special “gel belts” that some runners wear to carry a variety of these gel pouches during a run. Each pouch contains 1.3 ounces/37 grams of Gatorade’s Endurance Energy Gel, which comes in a variety of flavors. The tear-away top, indicated by a dotted line of where to tear, is a somewhat imprecise construction that sometimes leads to the pouch not becoming fully open after tear-off—which can present a problem if a runner is trying to quickly down the contents while in competition.

Texture

After the pouch is open, it’s simply a matter of gulping down the gel inside. It’s recommended by Gatorade for an athlete to consume the gel either just before or during an endurance workout, and to accompany its consumption with some water. This is apparent after first swallow: although advertised as a gel, it has more of a syrupy consistency. The taste isn’t bad (it tastes like the flavor it’s advertising) but the concoction feels a little icky going down. However, it was also extremely easy to swallow, which speaks to its potential as an “on the go” supplement.

Performance

For this review, I consumed one pouch of Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel (blackberry flavor) with water and then went on an extended run. One of the most immediately noticeable effects of the energy gel is how it staved off exhaustion. Although I run for an extended period of time during my workouts, I’m not a marathon runner, so my tolerance for long-distance running isn’t exactly boundless. Even after a few miles of continuous running I often start feeling a little tired. But with the energy gel in my system, this fatigue never caught up with me. I could feel my carbohydrates being replenished as they began to dip, which is exactly what Gatorade promised with the gel. It was such a helpful aid that even at the end of my extended run, I was still filled with a good amount of energy instead of feeling drained, like I usually do after a run.

Of course, the Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel is made for marathon runners and to boost endurance during long, strenuous workouts. This makes sense, as the benefits of using an energy gel usually won’t begin to truly kick in until an hour or so into a run. Conventional sports nutrition follows that a 5K is short enough that replenishing carbs isn’t needed, and at 10K it depends on how fast one is running, but for longer races—in particular, marathons—energy gels can offer a great boost in clutch moments. For this purpose, the Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel is an easy-to-consume option that won’t slow the runner down while trying to quickly replenish lost carbs during a marathon or extended workout.

Pros

• Small 80-calorie pouch provides a solid carb boost
• Easy to carry and consume while on a run
• Great replenishment of lost carbs while on a long-distance run
• Enough flavor to make it palatable
• Tailor-made for marathon runners

Cons

• Texture is a little unappealing

Bottom Line

The Gatorade Endurance Energy Gel is an affordable energy gel produced by one of the most reputable sports beverage producers in the world. At only 80 calories a pouch and available in three flavors (blackberry, apple pear, and vanilla), marathon runners will find this easy-to-consume carb boost just what’s needed to confront the wall and keep running through it toward the finish line.