Should I use Hammer Gel or HEED?
Either, it's your preference!
Both products are ideal for use during exercise of any intensity lasting up to 2-3 hours.
Hammer Gel
Hammer Gel is a concentrated complex carbohydrate gel with the consistency of syrup. It is the best choice for athletes who prefer drinking plain water for hydration.
Offered in 12 flavors: Apple-Cinnamon, Banana, Chocolate, Espresso, Montana Huckleberry, Orange, Raspberry, Tropical, Vanilla, Nocciola (Hazelnut-Chocolate), Peanut Butter, and Peanut Butter-Chocolate.
Caffeine Quotient: Espresso contains 50mg and Tropical contains 25mg of caffeine per serving.
HEED
HEED is a powdered sports drink mix. It is the best choice for athletes who DO NOT like drinking plain water while exercising.
HEED comes in five flavors: Cherry Bomb, Lemon-Lime, Orange, Melon, and Strawberry.
Caffeine Quotient: Cherry Bomb contains 25mg of caffeine per serving.
Either product can be used as a partial source of calories during ultra distance events to provide variety and flavor to your primary fuel sources, Perpetuem and/or Sustained Energy.
How much caffeine does Hammer Gel contain in comparison to coffee?
While caffeine levels can vary tremendously between different brands of coffee, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee generally contains anywhere from 80-135 mg of caffeine, while the caffeine content of an 8-ounce cup of drip coffee is between 115-175 mg. Each serving of Espresso Hammer Gel contains 50 mg of caffeine. Each serving of Tropical Hammer Gel contains 25 mg of caffeine.
Why don't you offer a caffeinated version in every flavor of Hammer Gel?
There are two reasons. First, anytime caffeine is added to a flavor it can alter the taste significantly, so we have to be very selective when determining which flavors can contain caffeine. At this time Hammer Nutrition formulates two caffeinated flavors of Hammer Gel - Espresso is a natural in terms of a flavor that can and should contain caffeine (50 mg/serving), and the tart flavor of Tropical makes it suitable to contain a small amount of caffeine (25 mg/serving).
Secondly, the addition of caffeine to any product will make it more acidic. Though the higher level acidity is minor, it may increase the potential for stomach irritation in some people, especially when consuming large quantities of caffeine/caffeinated products.
Why do you use maltodextrin instead of sugar in your fuels?
Here are the benefits of maltodextrin, along with information about its effects on insulin during exercise and shortly after it’s been completed.
The Benefits of Maltodextrin
- You can digest greater amounts of calories from maltodextrin than from any short-chain sugar, aka “simple sugar,” such as glucose, sucrose, and fructose (As one nutritional scientist states, “maltodextrin allows one to swallow more energy in less volume.”) With maltodextrin you get the full amount of calories that you need for energy production, and with no delay in exiting the GI tract. Fuels containing simple sugars much be mixed at very calorically weak solutions in order to be digested with any efficiency, so your body won’t be getting the right amount of calories it needs. However, when athletes try to make a “double-strength” mix of a simple sugar fuel, that too-high sugar mixture does not match body fluid chemistry, which means it just sits in the stomach undigested for a lengthy period of time... and that means severe stomach distress. You won’t have that issue with maltodextrin.
- Maltodextrin goes to work extremely quickly in producing energy because it’s a high Glycemic Index carbohydrate; in fact, it’s the same as pure glucose (both are 100). That’s a good thing because you want that energy as quickly as possible, and that’s what maltodextrin will do. Another benefit with maltodextrin is that, because it’s comprised of hundreds of saccharide molecules all weakly bonded together, it will provide a much more consistent and longer-lasting energy than glucose or any other simple sugar, and without that undesirable “peak and valley”, “flash and crash” energy that is typical with simple sugars.
Because of maltodextrin’s high Glycemic Index (GI), many people ask about the insulin release that occurs. The answer to that is that, yes, maltodextrin does elevate blood sugar levels very rapidly and will cause an insulin release. This is not an issue immediately prior to exercise, during exercise, however, as Dr. Misner explains: "During exercise, insulin release is inhibited because sympathetic nervous system hormones are also released and, concurrently, exercise augments muscle uptake of glucose from exogenous intake accompanied by lower insulin levels and effects." Basically, what Dr. Misner is saying is that because energy turnover is very high, and with the release of specific central nervous system hormones, the body is able to deliver glucose to the muscles with very minimal insulin… insulin release is not a significant factor during exercise.
After exercise, when the body needs to have its cells restocked with fuel, maltodextrin’s high Glycemic Index is also desirable… Recoverite and Organic Vegan Recoverite are PERFECT fuels for maximizing recovery.
Those are the only three times—immediately prior to exercise, during exercise, and shortly after exercise—when a high-GI carbohydrate such as maltodextrin should be consumed.
Do any of the Hammer Nutrition products contain brown rice syrup?
We do not use brown rice syrup in any of our products, so you have nothing to worry about with regards to Hammer Nutrition products.
When will the nut flavors of Hammer Gel be available in the 26-serving jugs?
Q: When will the nut flavors of Hammer Gel—Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter-Chocolate, Nocciola (Hazelnut-Chocolate)—be available in the 26-serving jugs?
A: Though we do not yet have an ETA (stay tuned!), we are working feverishly with our manufacturer to ensure that the flavor quality and the viscosity of the product in the 26-serving jugs meets our stringent standards. In the meantime, all three flavors are now available in single serving pouches and they’re utterly delicious!
What is the osmolality of Hammer Gel?
Click here for Osmolality Results.
Why do some of the flavors of Hammer Gel have different nutrient amounts listed on the labels?
Q: Why do some of the flavors of Hammer Gel have different nutrient amounts listed on the labels of the single serving pouch and the 26-serving jug?
A: Using the Chocolate flavor as an example, the formula for the 26-serving jug contains both potassium sorbate--an FDA-approved preservative, and potassium carbonate, which helps balance the pH--while the single serving pouch contains only potassium carbonate. The jug has more potassium content in it, which is why its amounts are listed. The calcium content is the same for both pouches and jugs but since it’s under 1% of the Daily Value (DV) it does not need to be declared on the labels. That said, since there is more room on the 26-serving label, this information was elected to be included.
How do I stay alert at night during ultras?
If you're doing an ultra-distance race, especially one where you’ll be racing through the night and into the next day, chances are you'll need something to help you stay alert. Here are four safe and effective suggestions, all of which you can use in combination:
1) Take 1 serving of Fully Charged every 3-4 hours. Among the numerous benefits this amazing product supplies, two amino acids in Fully Charged, taurine and tyrosine, enhance focus, alertness, and concentration without stimulating the nervous system. Fully Charged also contains a small amount of caffeine—approximately 10-15 mg per serving—courtesy of the green tea extract in the product.
2) Take 1-2 capsules of Endurance BCAA+ prior to the race and each hour during. The primary components in this product are the three branched chain amino acids (BCAA), l-leucine, l-isoleucine, and l-valine. Among their many benefits, research has shown that BCAA supplementation helps decrease the perception of fatigue on both a mental and physiological basis.
3) Take a capsule of Super Antioxidant every 1-2 hours during nighttime hours. The Ginkgo biloba and vinpocetine components in the product not only provide antioxidant support, they also have circulation-enhancing benefits and are purported to have cognitive/alertness-enhancing benefits as well.
4) Use one of the caffeinated versions of Hammer Gel on occasion. Each serving of Espresso Hammer Gel contains 50 mg of caffeine and each serving of Tropical Hammer Gel contains 25 mg. By using these specific flavors of Hammer Gel, you will be providing your body with complex carbohydrates for long-lasting energy (no “flash and crash”), as well as a sufficient but not too-high dose of caffeine.
How many milligrams of the BCAAs are in a serving of Hammer Gel?
Though it varies ever-so-slightly between a couple of the flavors of Hammer Gel, the general profile/amounts of amino acids (including the BCAAs) per single serving are:
- L-Leucine -- 6.6 mg
- L-Alanine -- 3.3 mg
- L-Valine -- 3.3 mg
- L-Isoleucine -- 1.6 mg
