UCAN Sports Drink

vykkio

Has anybody heard of or used UCAN sports drink? It has no sugar and is supposed to help you utilize your fat stores for fuel. Some athletes claim they only need to take in 50 calories per hour during endurance races with ZERO GI upset. 

Check it out: https://store.generationucan.com/

I ordered a supply to train with for IMCDA. I hope this will keep me from walking part of the marathon due to GI distress.

David Ambrose

Any idea what they mean by modified corn starch? If it's from genetically modified corn, stay away... far away. Other than that main ingredient, I did not see any other unique ingredient that is not found in a lot of other sport drinks.

vykkio

I was initially concerned about safey as well. However, maltodextrin (the first ingredient after water in Ironman Perform) is derived from Modified Corn Starch so I am not worried about UCAN being less safe than most other sports drinks. It is derived from non-GMO corn and is gluten-free. I have not received the same confirmation from the folks at Powerbar Ironman Perform. Bottom line is that I am looking for ways to take in as few calories as possible during endurance races.

Here is what else they have to say about the product:  "The company started by accident. Our founder, David Feldman has a little boy, Jonah who has a very rare disease [Type I Glycogen Storage Disease] resulting in the body's inability to create glucose. A unique carbohydrate now called SuperStarch was invented to help people with glucose challenges. It really is the only energy source of its kind. Since athletes also have to manage their glucose levels, we found SuperStarch had incredible sports implications as well. And then a new generation of healthy sports energy was born...



The results athletes have been receiving are amazing. The product is based around this unique ingredient SuperStarch, a revolutionary, healthier, completely natural carbohydrate. Unlike most sugar and Maltodextrin drinks that have to be used repeatedly, Generation UCAN products have been proven to extend glucose maintenance in the body with minimal impact on insulin levels, increasing the muscle’s ability to burn fat for fuel. Sugar and maltodextrin products block access to body fat, the body’s largest calorie reserve. Generation UCAN provides a better fuel balance between fat and carbohydrate. We call this dual-fuel power. This is very important for an athlete that must maintain a certain weight/lean body for a sport. We have found that Generation UCAN is the most efficient way to spare muscle glycogen, maintain blood glucose, prevent fatigue and stay healthy. And, the best part:: it causes no gastric distress. "

UCAN has been endorsed by Bob Seebohar, the author of "Metabolic Efficiency Training."  Just wondering if anyone in the Haus had tried it....

jneedell

Vicki,

I think Seebohar knows his stuff. You mentioning his endorsment made me look it up.

 

One other thing is that sometimes an insulin response is not bad. I am thinking that the body has different receptors for nutrients and the combination of multiple types can be helpfull. Particularly in shroter events where the spike can be helpful. May be this is the base energy supplement and in the run protion of a HIM and second half of a full you still add the spike to get it done. Also in Sprint or Olympics you don't need much so I might stick to the insulin responsive enegy supplements.

 

Alternatively you could add melodextrin on top on this stuff with lower Osmolity overall and some insulin response. Go to half a GU every 30 min. or use blocks instead and ration them out to lower the spike a bit. It is all in the enrgy budget while keeping it down with not GI distress.

 

Thanks,

JN

penlynwilson

There was a big discussion on the Sports RD listserve about this a while back. I am not familiar with it. I don't remember seein anything negaitve about it. A lot of the RDs like and recommend it.

You can always try it and see what you think.