Science

Everything you need and nothing you don’t. Simple as that. 

It has been scientifically proven that taking in fuel, in the form of carbohydrates increases athletic performance[1]. The simplest form of carbohydrates is what is known as a monosaccharide aka 1 molecule- common examples of this are glucose and fructose. Table sugar (sucrose) is made up of 1 Glucose molecule and 1 fructose molecule and if you have ever been a kid, you know it provides a quick spike of energy. While carbohydrates are fast acting energy sources, there are various types that differ in structure, digestion time and how well they dissolve in water. 

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a chain of glucose molecules put together and is known as a complex carbohydrate. Compared to glucose itself, maltodextrin allows for slightly slower release for a more prolonged energy profile. Since it is a chain of glucose it has a lower osmolality, aka less molecules in the same amount of liquid which allows it to be easily digested, easy to dissolve and is not as sweet as glucose.

Fructose

Your body breaks down all carbohydrates into glucose molecules and transports them into the cell via one transporter. Therefore, having multiple glucose sources does not increase the amount you can absorb.

However, fructose is another sugar source that utilises its own independent transporter, therefore when combined with maltodextrin we can increase the amount of carbohydrate absorbed. But the question then is how much do we want of each for optimal carbohydrate absorption? Science first led us to the glucose: fructose ratio of 2:1 that many companies still use today[2].

Newer science is showing us that ratios closer to 1:1 (found in table sugar) are actually more optimal[3]. KISS* uses a glucose: fructose ratio of 1:08, which has been found to be optimal for performance in many studies[4]. 

Past studies also limited the amount of carbs to 60g/hour but then that changed to 90g/hour with more research about using fructose. Now athletes are exploring higher carbohydrate intakes, which does have some scientific evidence[4]. We offer different carb ratios for this very reason - this paired with different sodium ratios so that way you can take in more carbs but not overload on sodium! 

We promise that as the science advances, so will we. 

Trisodium citrate

We all know we sweat when we workout, thus we need to replace our electrolytes. It is also necessary for carb absorption. You may notice that unlike many products we only add in sodium, not potassium or magnesium. This is because when exercising sodium is the main electrolyte you lose[5,6] and there is little benefit to trying to replace the others while adding them in can cause unnecessary stomach discomfort. Sodium can come in different forms including table salt (NaCl), which has one sodium ion per molecule.

However, we use trisodium citrate which delivers 3 sodium ions per molecule reducing the osmolality (aka less particles in the solution). So why do we use it? Sodium citrate has been shown to be easier on the gut due to its decreased osmolality over salt, as well as it having less chloride ions which can cause intestinal irritation. Also, sodium citrate has a less salty taste than salt making our flavour profile that much better.  Interestingly some studies have shown that sodium citrate can have a lactate buffering effect much like sodium bicarbonate[7,8], but we do not claim our product will help with this. 

We offer different sodium:carb ratios. This is because the amount of sodium you need depends on session intensity and temperature and different people are saltier sweaters than others[9]. You may need anywhere from 500-1200mg+ of sodium per hour. We cannot tell you exactly how much you need but a little work on your end can easily estimate it. 

Here are a few signs you many need more sodium:

• if you are peeing a lot[10]
• even though you are drinking a lot your HR is higher than normal 
• not thirsty but working hard - sodium helps you feel thirsty[10]
• gut distress taking in high amount of carbs-sodium is needed for carb uptake. 

Flavour 

Natural flavouring from freeze dried fruits and citric acid. Delicious and simple.