Fueling the Truth in Sports Nutrition

Correct fueling is critical to performing well and enjoying endurance sports. The right intake of calories can lead to a breakout performance. Mis-fueling will send you for a ride on the struggle bus.

Recently a number of social media posts have examined the contents of Spring Energy’s Awesome Sauce and estimate it to contain less than 80 of the 180 calories claimed on the label. If these estimates are correct, that Awesome Sauce contains 60% fewer calories than advertised, this changes the cost-per-calorie calculus for this product, this would be well outside the +/-20% required by the FDA for class II food nutrients and would almost certainly affect your performance on race day(s).

While Spring Energy has been called out on social media, published studies examining other sports nutrition products find that mislabeling is common. FDA rules allow nutritional labels to be approximated using imprecise and easily manipulated methods and do not require experimental verification. We believe sports nutrition companies should hold themselves to a higher standard than those of nutrition labels, which do not guarantee the accuracy required by athletes.

What:

We are crowdfunding an experiment to verify the nutritional facts labels of a range of sports gels using accurate chemical tests.

Why:

Accurate tests we will provide conclusive counts of the actual calorie, carb and protein values. Results generated using trusted methods will have wider reach and be more actionable to other consumers (or the FDA). Thus far the experiments have relied upon total weight to deduce calorie content based on assumptions.

Testing more products provides context. Is this just Spring Energy, just Awesome Sauce, or is it rampant? It not Awesome Sauce, what else should I use?

Because integrity. Brands are rushing into trail running and other endurance sports. We have the power to keep them honest, with a few, simple, and relatively inexpensive tests.

Experiment Design:

Samples will be tested by Proximate Analysis (total calories, carbohydrate, protein, fat, moisture, ash, sodium) using FDA-recommended AOAC methods

Products to be tested:

Final study design will be based on donations received. Donors will receive a copy of results via email.

Minimum Experiment:

Cost for ideal experiment = $4200 and includes 6 products, multiple manufacturing lots of certain products and analysis of sodium content

Who are We?

We're both professionally employed scientists with education in biology and biochemistry. We have trained in biochemistry and organic chemistry and hands on experience working with FDA regulations (albeit for pharmaceuticals not food) and and third party analytical labs. We feel our background allows us to understand the fundamentals of the question being asked and the tools required to answer them.

Brady Burgess and Johanna Ohm