The SFuels RIGHT FUEL RIGHT TIME(TM) approach, is grounded in the holistic use of all the body's energy systems, and associated substrates including carbohydrates, fats and ketones.
In our TRAINING-RACING FUEL BLUEPRINT, we reference the science of SFuels products to optimize Fat/Carb Oxidation efficiency and glycogen preservation, for optimal endurance performance. That said, our 'Go Longer' philosophy doesn't apply only to racing outcomes, but just as important, your long-term health and well-being.
To this end, the detrimental implications of FRUCTOSE and SUGAR ALCOHOL use in acute usage, like racing, is of one concern. However more concerning is their daily long-term over-consumption, and contribution to obesity and chronic diseases.
Our blueprint references studies on how fructose negatively affects glucose transport into muscle cells and blunts the training effect of aerobic exercise. These reasons (to avoid Fructose) aside, still the number 1 reason for DNF (Did Not Finish) endurance races (SFUELS BLOG HERE) continues to be Gut/GI distress triggered by overconsumption of sugar (SFUELS BLOG HERE) during races.
Now you may not identify yourself as a big consumer of fructose and sugar alcohols, but don't be confused, they're everywhere.
Fructose makes up 50% of table sugar (sucrose) used in foods. In a 2012 article, Neurobiologist Stephan Guyenet published an interesting graph of sugar consumption in the early 1800s being less than 10lbs/person/year, now in the 2000s it's over 100lbs/person/year. In addition to stable sugar/sucrose use, is the well-publicized pervasive presence of high-fructose corn syrup as an ingredient across so many processed foods.
For athletes, fructose is included in most fueling drinks and gels, and what's concerning is the irresponsible advocacy to athletes to practice 'fructose-maltodextrin gut-training' (with cases of >100Gr/hour usage) with these products.
Separate to this is the seemingly benign use of sugar-alcohols in foods and drinks - think Xylitol, Mannitol, Maltitol, Sucralose, and many others. The consumption trend is worrying, because similar to high-fructose corn syrup, sugar alcohols are exploding in their pervasive inclusion across processed foods and drinks (energy drinks) etc. You can read SFuels position on sugar-alcohols, and their effect on the gut microbiome SFUELS BLOG HERE.
With rapidly growing research on Fructose/Sugar-Alcohols and their contribution to obesity, metabolic illnesses, cardiovascular disease, and gut microbiome implications - we felt it our responsibility to AVOID ANY USE OF FRUCTOSE OR SUGAR ALCOHOLS in SFuels products.
As we head into 2023, SFuels will be bringing on our own expert scientist and insights into the implications of chronic consumption of fructose, and sugar alcohols, how to avoid it and alternative lifestyle approaches - to support 'Going Longer' in your health and well-being.
But to give you some background context, here are two videos of world-leading experts in the fields of fructose, obesity, and chronic disease -
