If you haven’t noticed, there’s been an interesting change in the sports nutrition industry as of late. The ratio of glucose (or maltodextrin) to fructose in sports nutrition products is the talk of the town and, quite frankly, should be on the top of your priority list when deciding which sports nutrition product to use. 

Recently, sports nutrition products differentiate themselves by the ratio of glucose (or maltodextrin) to fructose they contain. The traditional 2:1 ratio has long been considered the gold standard, while newer formulations are shifting toward a 1:0.8 ratio to support higher carbohydrate delivery during exercise and competitions. But “why” you should be asking. Let’s get into it.

Glucose and fructose are absorbed through different transporters on the small intestine (SGLT1 for glucose and GLUT5 for fructose). Because glucose absorption saturates at about 60 grams hour, adding fructose allows total carbohydrate absorption and oxidation to exceed this limit, improving energy availability during prolonged exercise.  

As you continue to read, keep in mind that context matters. 

For example, if you do not need/want to consume more than 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour during training, you do not have to worry about these ratios. However, if you want to consume more than 60 grams of carbs per hour, keeping reading because this information will be extremely important for you.

The 2:1 ratio (60 grams of glucose + 30 grams of fructose per hour) was developed to maximize carbohydrate delivery while minimizing gastrointestinal (GI) distress. It effectively saturates glucose transport while providing enough fructose to utilize secondary pathways.

This has been well-researched and validated and supports carbohydrate intakes up to about 90 grams per hour. There is also lower risk of GI distress because there is less fructose and products with this ratio are usually more palatable because they are not as sweet (because of the lower fructose content).

In contrast, the “next gen" 1:0.8 ratio (about 66 grams of glucose and 54 grams of fructose) increases the relative fructose content, allowing greater use of the GLUT5 transporter and potentially higher total carbohydrate absorption.

This ratio should specifically be used if you are trying to consume more than 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour during training. However, keep in mind that due to the higher fructose content, there may be a higher risk of GI distress (unless you implement a 8-12 week gut training regimen). Additionally, some of these products are typically sweeter due to the higher fructose content, which may lead to flavor fatigue.

Here are the takeaway messages:

• If you are feeding less than 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour, you don’t have to worry too much about the ratio.
• If you want to feed between 60 - 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour, choose a product with a 2:1 ratio.
• If you want to feed more than 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour, choose a product with a 1:0.8 ratio AND implement a gut training protocol that is created and supervised by a Sports Dietitian (like the awesome ones at eNRG Performance!)

In summary, the 2:1 glucose to fructose ratio remains the most practical and reliable option for the majority of athletes, particularly when carbohydrate intake is moderate. However, the 1:0.8 ratio represents an evolution in sports nutrition designed for athletes pushing the upper limits of carbohydrate intake and performance.

PS - If you want help in optimizing your performance nutrition plan, check out our Optimal Performance Nutrition Program. It is a 6-week program that helps you periodize your nutrition, nutrient timing and supplements to optimize health and performance.