New Products
Red 8 Energy Gels & Red 8 Energy Gels Plus Caffiene
RED 8 ENERGY GEL with Energy90 for sustained release energy that lasts up to 50% longer!
Red 8 Energy Gel was developed from the principle of finding natural carbohydrates that would elevate blood glucose levels in a similar manner to sucrose, whilst providing a longer sustained release of energy and – most importantly – avoiding the hypoglycaemic energy dump often associated with straight sucrose/glucose- based products.
Red 8 Gel’s energy source is a proprietary blend of glucose and Energy90 a naturally sourced ingredient comprised of fruit juices which may provide an energy boost longer lasting than sucrose.
The added electrolyte balance was approved and recommended by High Performance New Zealand for their athletes. High Performance New Zealand carried out eighteen months of rigorous athlete trials using this product with New Zealand representative sports teams and individual athletes. The Red 8 Energy Gel is now a key component of the supplementation programme for many of New Zealand’s elite sports. Red 8 Energy Gels are designed for endurance and high intensity sports such as triathlon, ironman, cycling, rugby, hockey and netball.
Red 8 is the Official Sports Nutrition Supplier to High Performance New Zealand. This product has been developed in association with High Performance New Zealand and tested by top individual athletes and teams.
Click here to show/hide the Research Study for Red 8 Energy Gels…
Red 8 Energy Gel has been developed using the new technology of its main component, Energy90. Research has shown that the proprietary blend in Energy90TM is a superior source of energy to the sugars (sucrose and fructose) that are normally used in quick energy foods. In scientific studies and athletic competitions the proprietary blend has been proven to deliver a quick burst of energy and sustain that energy longer than other well known sweeteners. Importantly, the proprietary blend in Energy90TM does not cause a hypoglycaemic reaction. After eighteen months of extensive trialling by High Performance New Zealand on a wide variety of athletes, the athletes’ feedback was that the product is beneficial during and after sustained strenuous exercise. The Red 8 Energy Gels have become an integral part of the nutrition programmes of many New Zealand representative individuals and teams.
RESEARCH
Testing
A selection of young non-diabetic subjects were given a solution containing water and 60 grams of the proprietary blend, sucrose or fructose. Each subject was given the solutions randomly and consumed each different solution on a single test day over a period of 3 weeks. Blood plasma samples were drawn from each subject prior to consuming a solution and also at 25, 60, 90 and 120 minute intervals after drinking that solution.
Findings
After 25 minutes of consuming either the proprietary blend or sucrose, the blood glucose levels of the test subjects rose to a level significantly above the fasting baseline. In contrast, after 60 minutes the blood glucose readings of the test subjects who had consumed the proprietary blend stayed significantly above the fasting baseline, while the glucose reading of the test subjects who had consumed sucrose had fallen below the fasting baseline. At 90 and 120 minutes both the proprietary blend and sucrose were comparable and statistically equal to the fasting baseline. The test subjects who consumed fructose showed no significant change to their blood glucose level at any time throughout the test.
Conclusions
The proprietary blend, sucrose and fructose are all metabolised differently by the human body. The proprietary blend provided a rise in the blood glucose level and a surge in energy, comparable to sucrose; however, it must be noted that the proprietary blend sustained that energy for 50% longer (i.e. 90 minutes for the proprietary blend compared to 60 minutes for sucrose). This is due mainly to the specially developed complex carbohydrates contained in the proprietary blend. It must also be noted that the proprietary blend did not cause an energy deficit/ hypoglycaemic event (i.e. when blood glucose levels fall below the baseline) as sucrose did within 60 minutes. Fructose did not provide any significant increase in energy.
