GU Roctane Drink Comparison
GU Roctane Energy Drink Mix and e-Fuel are very similar products, in fact these are probably the two best drinks on the market. The first difference is that e-Fuel has 50% more electrolytes to help maintain hydration and avoid cramping and injuries. e-Fuel also has antioxidants to protect against tissue damage, reduce soreness and aid in the recovery process. Roctane does not contain antioxidants. Instead, Roctane has stimulants caffeine as well as taurine which is known to have unpleasant digestive side effects (see below). e-Fuel does not contain any stimulants. Read on for the full comparison:
complex carbs (8 oz)
e-Fuel
14 g
Roctane
14 g
The primary reason that e-Fuel and Roctane stand out from most other competitors is that Bothe drinks are high in complex carbohydrates which allow you to uptake more energy compared to high sugar drinks (read how below). Drinks like Skratch, Tailwind and most other popular drinks are nearly 100% sugar.
Why are complex carbs so much better than sugars?
This isn’t something we’ve invented, it’s proven science. Here’s how it works:
The carbs/energy in a sports drink are transported into your cellular system through osmosis. If you recall learning about osmosis in science class, it’s the way a fluid crosses a membrane. In order for the fluid to cross, it has to be an equal or lower concentration than the fluid on the other side of the membrane. In this case you’re trying to get the sports drink across your cellular membrane so you can use the energy. Ideally you want the drink to be isotonic, which means it’s the same concentration as your cellular fluids. At this point the drink can be rapidly absorbed and carry the carbs and electrolytes along with it via osmosis.
What’s interesting is that the concentration of a fluid (also called the osmolality) is largely dependent on the NUMBER of particles in the fluid, and less dependent on the size of the particles. Complex carbs by definition have a larger molecular structure than simple sugars, basically they have more glucose molecules stuck together. But remember, it’s the number of particles, not the size that matters most. What that means is that at the point of absorption (isotonic), a fluid with complex carbs can transport nearly twice as much energy into the cellular system compared to one with simple sugars.
Many drinks (including e-Fuel) use at least some maltodextrin for this reason. Maltodextrin is a complex carbohydrate with an extremely large molecular structure. Where e-Fuel sets itself apart from other products is that we use much more complex carb and less sugar. This allows you to get more energy when you use e-Fuel compared to our competitors. If you’re doing any type of endurance sport, then maximizing energy uptake should be important to you.
carb sources
e-Fuel
MaltodextrinFructose
Roctane
MaltodextrinFructose
Maltodextrin and fructose is the ideal combination of carbs for athletes, which is one of the reasons these are the two best drinks.
Maltodextrin is a long chain complex carbohydrate. As we explained in the complex carb discussion, the advantages of complex carbs are significant.
Fructose is also a sugar, but it’s very different than all other forms of sugar and we use it in all of our products for a very good reason.
Fructose sometimes gets a bad rap for endurance athletes because it is thought to cause stomach and GI discomfort. Like anything else, if you take too much fructose it can be a problem. But if you use it properly it can actually significantly improve performance … without stomach issues. Here’s why:
Most of the energy that we use during endurance sports comes from consumed carbohydrates that are converted into glycogen and stored in our muscles. Glycogen can then be quickly broken down into glucose and used to fuel the muscles. The liver also stores glycogen which has been converted from fructose and serves as an additional “fuel tank” to power your muscles.
Here’s where it gets interesting …
The main route for glucose absorption from the gut is through a transporter called SGLT1 – a protein that acts like a door, helping glucose go from the gut to the bloodstream. SGLT1 has a maximum capacity and can only transport around one gram of glucose per minute (240 calories/hour). Fructose, however, is absorbed with a different transporter, called GLUT5. By using both transporters you can increase the amount of carbohydrate the body can use during exercise up to approximately 300 calories/hour.
GLUT5’s sole job in life is to transport fructose, so if you’re not consuming fructose then you’re not using the GLUT5 transporter … it’s like having an additional fuel line and not using it, why would you do that? In addition, your secondary fuel tank (your liver) will be under utilized as well.
The rapid absorption of fructose mixtures and special handling of fructose in the liver are the two main reasons that fructose can also also help to speed up recovery after exercise. A recent study found that when athletes drank sports drinks containing both fructose and complex carbohydrates after exercise, they accelerated the recovery of their liver glycogen stores. It almost doubled this rate of recovery compared with drinks that didn’t have fructose, when the same total amount of carbohydrate was consumed.
Bottom line … if you want to “be your best”, incorporate some fructose into your training and competition nutrition program.
sodium
e-Fuel
150 mg
Roctane
105 mg
Electrolytes are critical to help maintain hydration and to avoid cramping and injuries. In many ways this is the most important component of a good sports drink.
In developing e-Fuel we relied heavily on the decades of independent research performed by the American College of Sports Medicine. They are a non-profit with no “skin in the game”, they just try to figure out how to make athletes better, stronger and faster. Electrolyte replacement is an area that they have studied extensively, and e-Fuel’s electrolyte levels are designed to meet their recommendations.
If you’re using Roctane we would recommend adding some form of an electrolyte supplement to ensure you are getting adequate replacement.
potassium
e-Fuel
60 mg
Roctane
17 mg
Potassium is the other electrolyte that is important to replace during your training and competition, along with sodium. The level of potassium in e-Fuel is designed to meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendation for replacement during athletic activity.
antioxidants
e-Fuel
vitamin C 60%
vitamin E 60%
Roctane
none
Antioxidant vitamins C and E help protect against tissue damage, reduce soreness and aid in the recovery process.
Roctane does not include these antioxidants.
stimulants
e-Fuel
none
Roctane
caffeine
taurine
Taurine is the ingredient in Roctane that we are most surprised about due to the fact that potential side effects include diarrhea and constipation. We also don’t use caffeine as discussed here.
If you’re looking for a product with stimulants than Roctane would be a better choice for you. We don’t put stimulants in any of our products.
e-Fuel is all natural with no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, sugar substitutes or stimulants – it’s just cleans energy!
citrates
e-Fuel
Sodium Citrate, Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid
Roctane
Sodium Citrate, Potassium Citrate and Citric Acid
Citrates assist in the carbohydrate to energy conversion process as well as slow the build up of lactic acid in your muscles.
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Patrick Binienda
Shaun Gallagher
David Tucker
Jerry Sanders
Carl Gordon
Myk Nelsen
Kevin Brice
Tim P.
Shawn Carlisle
Dave Hinman
Barb
Tammie Nyland
Ryan Robinson
Jessica W.
Kirk Young
Mark Williams
George Myers
Lawrence Kagawa
Mary Goodrich
NOTE: All Roctane Drink Mix nutrition values shown are for Tropical Fruit flavor as of April 2021, other flavors may vary. e-Fuel nutrition values are the same for all flavors, read why