What is GU? Who should use it and what purpose does it serve?
GU is a carbohydrate energy gel. Energy gels have become widely popular for endurance athletes. They benefit athletes the most if they are engaging in an exercise regimen that will last longer than an hour at a moderate to high intensity. At lower intensities fat is burned for energy. At higher intensities carbohydrates and fat are both burned. At these higher intensities fat is not efficiently used for energy, therefore, with long bouts of exercise the carbohydrate losses need to be replaced. One way to do this is through the use of carbohydrate gels. The optimal way to use these gels is using one to two gels prior to intense exercise (if you are going to be exercising for more than one hour). Continue to use the gels at the rate of one packet approximately every 45 minutes. Your body absorbs these gels most efficiently when they are accompanied by proper fluid intake. For those athletes exercising less than 60 minutes – there is no benefit of using these carbohydrate gels. Make sure
