Fueling the Miles with Drinks Mixes

Testing a range of carb drinks for SCIENCE

Fueling the Miles with Drinks Mixes

One of the toughest things to get right during an ultra-marathon is fuelling: you are asking a lot of your body to run for hours on end, whilst continuing to digest critical carbs, while also absorbing large quantities of water. It's enough to turn anyone's stomach.

When out there you have to keep on top of three things fuelling wise:

  • How much water you are taking on to replace that lost by sweating
    • Anywhere from 500 to 1,000 ml / h dependent on conditions
  • How much salt you are ingesting
    • 800-1,000 mg to each litre of sweat is the average
    • I go into this in more detail here
  • How much food you are consuming to restock your glycogen stores
    • 60-90+ g carbs / h with some elite runners pushing over 100 g / h

Where drinks mixes come into play here is in helping simplify this equation a little by ensuring the water you are drinking also contains the carbs and salts you need, giving you less to worry about.

If you find a drinks mix that works for you, it can reduce what you need to carry per hour of each run, giving you a solid baseline to keep you moving.

However it's a double edged sword: if your stomach decides it no longer wants to ingest a sweet tasting drinks mix, you lose the ability to hydrate, fuel and get your salts in at the same time.

From personal experience I've struggled with drinks mixes before: I have a notoriously sensitive stomach and tend to find the simple sugars found in drinks mixes tend to turn on me around 4 hours in to a race.

Yet I was also conscious there are a lot of products out there I've not tried before, and wondered if I could find one that w0rks for me.

So let's try them, for SCIENCE!

Suuuggaaaaaar

Obligatory Sleep Token reference

Before we delve into the different mixes, I wanted to spend some time talking about the different types of ingredients you find in drinks mixes, and how they relate to optimal carb absorption.

Most mixes will contain ingredients that give you a mixture of glucose and fructose. This is important as it's been observed that, in order to maximise the amount of carbohydrates your body can absorb in a given period, we should be taking on a mixture of these two types. The marketing term you'll see for this is "dual source carbs".

The optimal ratio varies based on total intake (2:1 for ~90 g/h, 1:0.8 for ~110 g/h, 1:1 for 120 g/h+) - though the jury is out on this. For most folks aiming to top out at 90 g/h is the ideal.

You'll find drinks mixes tend to have a combination of a few of the following, all trying to target that ideal ratio of glucose:fructose:

  • Cane sugar (50% glucose / 50% fructose)
  • Dextrose (100% glucose)
  • Fructose
  • Maltodextrin (100% glucose)

Both maltodextrin and dextrose absorb at the same max rate (60 g/h), however maltodextrins advantage is lower "osmolality", which makes it a little easier on the stomach

Note here that too much fructose can cause stomach upset for some folks, there is also a condition called fructose malabsorption which exacerbates this.

Right, onto the mixes:

Drinks Mix Breakdown

Tailwind

Link

The classic, the one most folks will have heard of or tried before. I've used Tailwind on and off over the years, drawn to it's ease of use and promise of having everything you need, put off by the sweetness turning my stomach eventually.

  • Composition: Dextrose, sucrose & salt
  • Mixing: 2 scoops in 500 ml water → 50 g carbs, 620 mg sodium
  • Taste:
    • At recommended strength it has quite a sweet but fairly palatable taste
    • A variety of flavours available, including a more subtle “naked” unflavoured version, and caffeinated versions for an extra boost (though these do taste stronger)
  • Pros:
    • Reasonably priced
    • A good variety of flavours to choose from, all generally quite tasty
    • Sodium is on the higher end, good for salty sweaters
    • Can half the recommended strength and still get a good amount of carbs and sodium
  • Cons:
    • For me it works well up to marathon distance, afterwards my stomach starts rejecting it. Though I know many, many folks who use it for much longer distances without issue
    • Taste is thick, sweet, can be too much especially on a hot day
    • Uses dextrose over maltodextrin, slightly harsher on the stomach in theory

Active Root Sports Mix

Link

A natural alternative from Scotland made using only raw ingredients, this mix contains ginger which can help keep your stomach feeling settled, at the expense of constantly having the taste of ginger in your mouth.

  • Composition: Cane sugar, sea salt & ginger
  • Mixing: 1 scoop in 500 ml water → 40 g carbs, 227 mg sodium
  • Taste:
    • Strong ginger flavour
    • Tastes thicker and sweeter than Tailwind
    • Peppermint is the mildest taste, original is the strongest
  • Pros:
    • Less refined, natural ingredients, no additives
    • Keeps your stomach settled, tend to find it easier to drink over longer distances
    • Ginger helps reduce nausea
    • Sachets are thin and easy to carry
  • Cons:
    • Doesn’t mix easily; residue often left over due to it being a less granular, more natural powder
    • Especially sensitive to moisture: can get stuck together if moisture gets in the bag
    • Very low sodium, even though who aren't that salty when they sweat will likely need to top up a bit
    • Sweetness can feel overpowering on hot days

Active Root Electrolite Mix

Link

A lighter version of the sports mix above with only 8g carbs but more sodium. A great alternative to effervescent tablets you drop in your water, and good for folks with sensitive stomachs that get turned by sugary tasting drinks

  • Composition: Cane sugar, sea salt & ginger
  • Mixing: 1 scoop in 500 ml water → 8 g carbs, 320 mg sodium
  • Taste:
    • Light, palatable, non-sickly
    • Slight ginger taste but subtle, can barely notice it after a bottle or two
  • Pros:
    • Less refined, natural ingredients, no additives
    • Keeps your stomach settled, a great option for sensitive stomachs due to the lower sugar content
    • Ginger helps reduce nausea
    • Sachets are thin and easy to carry
    • Light enough to sip consistently
    • Cost-effective → lasts a long time
  • Cons:
    • Doesn’t mix easily; residue often left over (less than with active root sports mix though)
    • Especially sensitive to moisture: can get stuck together if moisture gets in the bag
    • Very low carbs, won't add much to your fuelling

Skratch Hydration Mix

Link

Drawn to this after hearing it was what David Roche used in his bottles to get the Leadville course record this year. The composition is very similar to Tailwind, but lower on sugar and higher on salt. Similar to Active Root Electrolite it's a good option for those with a more sensitive stomach, and comes in quite cost effective. However I can't help but feel, when comparing the numbers, that it's very similar to just having a single scoop of Tailwind in your bottle.

  • Composition: Dextrose, cane sugar & salt
  • Mixing: 1 scoop in 500 ml water → 20 g carbs, 400 mg sodium
  • Taste:
    • Light, tastes like a mild squash, not thick/syrupy
    • Flavoured by real fruit and it shows, tasty
  • Pros:
    • Naturally flavoured (e.g., powdered strawberry)
    • A good variety of flavours to choose from
    • Higher sodium per scoop than Tailwind → good for saltier sweaters
    • Stick packs much smaller and easier to carry
    • Cheaper than Tailwind per serving
    • Lightest tasting of the lot, very drinkable
  • Cons:
    • Likely behaves similarly to Tailwind over long distances, the ingredients list is exactly the same. If Tailwind doesn't work for you, it's fairly likely this won't either
    • Still need to get most of your carbs from food

Näak Ultra Energy Drink

Ahh my biggest disappointment of the test. I was really excited for Näak as it seemed more ultra-distance focused by including some complex carbs (gluten-free oats) and some protein, which I felt would contribute to a more balanced feeling stomach.

However despite the listing on the Näak website, the ingredients had changed, the oats have been replaced by a "canola protein isolate" (a byproduct of vegetable oil production). I have a canola intolerance, so spent the night after testing this having a bad time.

Don't let that put you off though, I think it's a more interesting drinks mix which could help those who may not get on with pure sugar mixes.

  • Composition: Maltodextrin and dextrose, along with protein, designed for long-distance performance
  • Mixing: 55 g carbs + 400 mg sodium per 500 ml water
  • Taste:
    • Tastes like a thick, oaty Tailwind
    • Neutral flavour tastes like oats with a bit of a bad aftertaste
    • Watermelon tastes much nicer, as does the lemon flavour
  • Pros:
    • Mixes better than expected for the volume of powder
    • 750 ml of this an hour fulfils your carb needs nicely hitting 82.5 g/h
    • Surprisingly palatable during the run, felt like I could drink this for a long time and feel good about it
  • Cons:
    • More powder volume than Tailwind and the packets are pretty big. Not as long as a Tailwind sachet but bulkier
    • Recent recipe change replaced gluten-free oats with a canola protein isolate, now an allergen risk for some folks
    • Not the nicest taste, a bit of an aftertaste
    • The most expensive one on the market by far!

Styrkr Mix+

Link

The first of two maltrodextrin + fructose mixes I wanted to try, Styrkr (I swear every time I have to spell that I fall over the letters) comes in these nice recyclable tins and mix well. I found this to be overwhelmingly sweet though, despite only being 30 g carbs.

  • Composition: Maltodextrin, fructose & electrolytes
  • Mixing: 1 serving in 500 ml water → 30 g carbs, 360 mg sodium
  • Taste:
    • Overpoweringly sweet, the sweetest of the bunch I've tried, strange considering it's only 30 g carbs for a serving
    • Quite palatable mind, I like the mint aftertaste, it's delicious. I would genuinely drink this at home of an evening and enjoy it
  • Pros:
    • Small scoops, easy to measure
    • Mixes well
    • Legit tastes like a mojito
  • Cons:
    • Overly sweet, palette fatigue is real with this one, I don't think I'd be able to drink this for hours on end
    • Very limited flavours
    • No stick packs available, just the tub, so would need to measure out your own powder servings for a race

OTE Energy Drink

Link

Very similar composition to Styrkr though with only natural flavourings whilst being PH neutral. Found this to be the worst tasting of all the powders, and ultimately didn't enjoy it in my bottles.

  • Composition: Maltodextrin, fructose & electrolytes
  • Mixing: 1 serving in 500 ml water → 40 g carbs, 360 mg sodium
  • Taste:
    • Quite neutral tasting, slightly metallic taste to it. Not the nicest but not overpowering either considering the sugar content
  • Pros:
    • Mixes well but a bit of residue left, the spoon I used to mix it has a thick layer of syrup stuck to it afterwards
    • Not too sweet when drinking mid run, neutral
  • Cons:
    • Quite large volume of powder, large packets to carry
    • Worst tasting of the bunch, quite metallic, not sure I could drink it for hours on end
    • If you get the powder on wet hands it is proper sticky
    • Only three flavours: lemon, orange or blackcurrant
    • Didn't love it in my bottles, didn't make me want to drink the thick syrupy liquid

Comparison Table

Here is a breakdown of the different mixes and their relative costs.

Drinks mixCompositionCarbs per servingSodium per servingCost for largest bag availableCost per carb
Tailwind Endurance FuelDextrose, sucrose, salt50 g per 2 scoops in 500 ml620 mg£35.59 per 25‑serving pouch (~£1.40/serv)£0.028
Active Root Sports Drink MixCane sugar, sea salt, ginger40 g per scoop in 500 ml227 mg£38.00 per 50‑serving pouch (~£0.76/serv)£0.019
Active Root Electrolite MixCane sugar, sea salt, ginger8 g per scoop in 500 ml320 mg£23.00 per 44-serving pouch (~£0.52/serv)£0.065
Skratch Hydration MixDextrose, cane sugar, salt20 g per scoop in 500 ml400 mg£15.95 per 20-serving pouch (~£0.79/serv)£0.040
Näak Ultra Energy Drink MixMaltodextrin, dextrose, protein, electrolytes55 g per 500 ml400 mg£35.00 per 10-serving pouch (~£3.50/serv)£0.064
Styrkr Mix+Maltodextrin, fructose, electrolytes30 g per 500 ml360 mg£29.99 per 25-serving tub (~£1.19/serv)£0.040
OTE Energy DrinkMaltodextrin, fructose, electrolytes40 g per 500 ml360 mg£33.00 per 28 serving pouch (~£1.17/serv)£0.029

You'll note that Active Root Electrolite is the cheapest, though it also has the least carbs so that saving would be offset by having to buy more fuel to eat.

Active Root Sports Mix is the best overall price by carb content, followed by Tailwind, Styrkr, Skratch and OTE being reasonably priced.

Näak is insanely expensive, though I appreciate you get more than just simple carbs in the mixture.

In terms of carb contents Näak is the highest, followed by Tailwind then OTE.

Recommendations

If you’re looking for a cost effective low carb mix where you’ll be eating most of your carbs instead (ideal for 50 mile + races with a slower pace and real food focus), I recommend Active Root Electrolite Mix all the way.

If you’re looking to get a portion of your carbs in through the drinks mix as part of a wider strategy, Skratch is a good choice, though you’ll still need to top up with gels / bars.

If you’re looking to get the majority of your carbs in through a drinks mix, Tailwind or Styrkr are both good choices, whilst the taste of OTE may put folks off.

If you’d looking to go into debt, get Näak.

What Has Worked Best For Me?

I've found the mixes with high levels of sugar really turn me, feeling a bit nauseous after a long run testing them.

Which means my favourites and the ones I'll be taking in to next year are Active Root Electrolite and Skratch, both very palatable and easy to get down, without being overly sweet, whilst having enough sodium for my needs.

I also now always carry Plan B in case my body stops wanting the drinks mix: SaltStick capsules and plain water.

Hopefully this has helped folks looking into the various fuelling options, I'd love to know any recommendations for other drinks mixes, or how you've found the ones I've already tested, in the comments below 👇