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GU FAQs

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There are only 100 calories per packet, yet I burn through 100 calories in 10 minutes. Shouldn’t I eat more than one every 30-45 minutes?
We limited GU to 100 calories because, in general, the body can digest roughly 350 calories per hour during exercise. If you tried to eat more, the body would divert blood from your muscles— say “buh-bye” to a personal record—to handle the excess food. If your metabolism is slow, then one GU every 45 minutes works fine. If you have an athlete’s metabolism, try ingesting one GU every 30 minutes and see if it agrees with you.

How do you eat GU?
Rip open the top and squeeze the entire packet into your mouth—don’t save half of it for later. GU’s recipe of carbohydrates and amino acids was created to be taken in one shot to provide you with maximum benefits.

How should you use GU to help you recover from hard training or racing?
When you stop, go ahead and eat a pack of GU, even if it’s been less than 30 minutes from your last GU shot. Now that you’ve stopped exercising, your stomach can handle those calories and needs them to start restoring your muscle glycogen—essentially the body’s instant fuel reservoirs.

Can I use GU for a strength workout or even yoga?
Sure. While GU was designed for endurance sports, it can be used anytime you need energy to fuel a workout. It can also serve as a 100-calorie pick-me-up if you’re dragging or simply need a snack to carry you through until your next meal.

How does the caffeine in GU help me?
GU energy gel comes in both caffeinated and non-caffeinated flavors. Strawberry Banana and Lemon Lime do not have any caffeine in them. Orange, Vanilla, Chocolate, Triberry and Plain all have 20mg of caffeine per packet. GU’s Espresso Love flavor has 40mg of caffeine. Caffeine consumption during exercise improves performance in several ways: it sharpens focus and perks you up; but more importantly, it helps the body produce more power, reduce the pain of hard efforts, and may even tap fat for fuel during exercise. All of this prolongs your ability to exercise at a high intensity. We use just enough caffeine to jump start this benefit and no more.

Does GU freeze?
Yes, but well below zero. It does thicken in cold weather, so keep GU close to your body to keep it warm.

How long does GU take to work?
The fructose converts quickly into an energy molecule that your muscles can tap within minutes. The maltodextrin, which makes up 70-80% of the carbohydrate blend (depending on flavor), takes several minutes longer. Because of this delay, your muscles enjoy a steady stream of energy instead of one gigantic sugar rush and a corresponding crash.

Is GU safe for children?
Yes, if they’re playing sports, on a hike or just being active, GU will help kids just as much as it helps you. You’d probably want to keep them away from the flavors that contain caffeine; no need to make them more hyperactive.

Can my dog eat GU?
We don’t recommend it. Maltodextrin is corn-based and corn is not recommended for dogs—many are actually allergic to corn.

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