Diabetes/Energy Drinks

[FUJI AL]

I,ve just had my annual check up, although I haven,t got diabetes I was informed my blood test did indicate a slight impairment of glucose ( sugar) regulation. I was wondering if my using energy drinks could cause this. I regularly use SIS Go Energy drink. Any thoughts on the subject. Did e-mail Dan Joyce but he said the Doctor only gets one letter published each issue.

[Audax67]

If you're drinking them regularly when you're not on the bike they can definitely "impair glucose regulation" - i.e. they could cause insulin resistance, which is one of the main causes of Type II (late-onset) diabetes. As I remember, the basic route goes: drink ==> high blood sugar ==> big insulin release ==> cell receptors flooded ==> with repetition, insulin sensitivity declines.

When you're already riding, or have just stopped, your muscles will be gobbling glucose out of your bloodstream, which will cushion the effect. You'll still get a big blood-glucose spike & insulin surge on drinking them, though, so if your sugar-processing is already a bit creaky they're probably not a good idea.

[TonyR]

If you're drinking them regularly when you're not on the bike they can definitely "impair glucose regulation" - i.e. they could cause insulin resistance, which is one of the main causes of Type II (late-onset) diabetes. As I remember, the basic route goes: drink ==> high blood sugar ==> big insulin release ==> cell receptors flooded ==> with repetition, insulin sensitivity declines.

When you're already riding, or have just stopped, your muscles will be gobbling glucose out of your bloodstream, which will cushion the effect. You'll still get a big blood-glucose spike & insulin surge on drinking them, though, so if your sugar-processing is already a bit creaky they're probably not a good idea.

Except that the whole design of energy drinks is that they are not glucose based but use complex sugars that do not trigger an insulin response.

[mjr]

Except that the whole design of energy drinks is that they are not glucose based but use complex sugars that do not trigger an insulin response.

The WHO reviewed energy drinks and noted a risk of contributing to type 2 diabetes because of the lovely mix of caffeine and sugars. One summary http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/10October/P ... risks.aspx

Why not just eat and drink real food as much as possible?

[TonyR]

Except that the whole design of energy drinks is that they are not glucose based but use complex sugars that do not trigger an insulin response.

The WHO reviewed energy drinks and noted a risk of contributing to type 2 diabetes because of the lovely mix of caffeine and sugars. One summary http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/10October/P ... risks.aspx

Why not just eat and drink real food as much as possible?

Errr.....they're talking about Red Bull and Monster not SIS and Go Energy. The former are aimed at "energy" through a wake you up caffeine jolt, the latter to fuel your muscles during exercise and are without caffeine.

[Audax67]

If you're drinking them regularly when you're not on the bike they can definitely "impair glucose regulation" - i.e. they could cause insulin resistance, which is one of the main causes of Type II (late-onset) diabetes. As I remember, the basic route goes: drink ==> high blood sugar ==> big insulin release ==> cell receptors flooded ==> with repetition, insulin sensitivity declines.

When you're already riding, or have just stopped, your muscles will be gobbling glucose out of your bloodstream, which will cushion the effect. You'll still get a big blood-glucose spike & insulin surge on drinking them, though, so if your sugar-processing is already a bit creaky they're probably not a good idea.

Except that the whole design of energy drinks is that they are not glucose based but use complex sugars that do not trigger an insulin response.

OK, I missed that: but one of the sugars is fructose, which is not complex. Fructose appears to provoke insulin resistance all the same: "Fructose consumption induces insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriacylglycerolemia, and hypertension in animal models."

And aspartame in quantity will make you fart.

[mjr]

Why not just eat and drink real food as much as possible?

Errr.....they're talking about Red Bull and Monster not SIS and Go Energy. The former are aimed at "energy" through a wake you up caffeine jolt, the latter to fuel your muscles during exercise and are without caffeine.

SIS Go Energy contains caffeine and is basically just another highly refined drink so I don't see why marketing trumps health advice.

[TonyR]

OK, I missed that: but one of the sugars is fructose, which is not complex. Fructose appears to provoke insulin resistance all the same: "Fructose consumption induces insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, hypertriacylglycerolemia, and hypertension in animal models."

And aspartame in quantity will make you fart.

I think you'll find its mainly maltodextrin and other sugar polymers, not fructose which is a simple sugar and one you would get eating a banana.

[TonyR]

Why not just eat and drink real food as much as possible?

Errr.....they're talking about Red Bull and Monster not SIS and Go Energy. The former are aimed at "energy" through a wake you up caffeine jolt, the latter to fuel your muscles during exercise and are without caffeine.

SIS Go Energy contains caffeine and is basically just another highly refined drink so I don't see why marketing trumps health advice.

No it doesn't. The SIS Go Energy + Caffeine does but not the straight SIS Go Energy.

[mjr]

No it doesn't. The SIS Go Energy + Caffeine does but not the straight SIS Go Energy.

Sorry, I hadn't noticed that the "+ Caffeine" flash only appeared on some products and was part of the confusing product naming, as well as being another very processed junk food.

I didn't find an online seller that gives an ingredients list but http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/b ... ing-34599/ suggests it's mainly maltodextrin and fructose, both of which cause insulin surges.

[al_yrpal]

Except that the whole design of energy drinks is that they are not glucose based but use complex sugars that do not trigger an insulin response.

The WHO reviewed energy drinks and noted a risk of contributing to type 2 diabetes because of the lovely mix of caffeine and sugars. One summary http://www.nhs.uk/news/2014/10October/P ... risks.aspx

Why not just eat and drink real food as much as possible?

+1 ..from an ex type 2 diabetic. My advice loose some weight!

Al

[TonyR]

No it doesn't. The SIS Go Energy + Caffeine does but not the straight SIS Go Energy.

Sorry, I hadn't noticed that the "+ Caffeine" flash only appeared on some products and was part of the confusing product naming, as well as being another very processed junk food.

I didn't find an online seller that gives an ingredients list but http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/b ... ing-34599/ suggests it's mainly maltodextrin and fructose, both of which cause insulin surges.

Maltodextrin does not cause an insulin response. Its why they use it. If it were sugar and triggered an insulin response you would only get a short term energy boost before the insulin response swept it from the system. The whole purpose of the energy drinks is they bypass the insulin response so the blood can be loaded up and stay loaded while the muscles burn it as fuel.

[mjr]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/41825 ... todextrin/ says "Both maltodextrin and dextrose process so quickly, they'll both offer the insulin surge" ... and there are many other sites saying similar things.

[Norman H]

The term “maltodextrin” applies to a somewhat variable product. In reality it's a mixture of oligosaccharides with chain lengths upwards of 3 glucose units. The starch, from which it's produced, can also come from a variety of sources which will further affect the variability of the final product. It behaves very much like a sugar. It is readily absorbed and converted to glucose. I would be surprised if it didn't provide a pretty immediate rise in blood glucose and insulin.

There's a lot of pseudo science used in the marketing of these products. In competitive cycling, where the glucose is rapidly metabolised, there may be a case to be made for using them. If only on the basis of convenience but, for recreational cyclists, there is no evidence that they are any more effective than real food and indeed may well be harmful in the way that others have indicated.

[TonyR]

If only on the basis of convenience but, for recreational cyclists, there is no evidence that they are any more effective than real food and indeed may well be harmful in the way that others have indicated.

Well, "real food" frequently contains additives such as maltodextrin so what's the difference? Have you looked at the ingredients of that old cyclist favourite, malt loaf [1]? So what's the difference?

But let's say you eat instead a completely natural food like that other cyclist favourite, a banana, to get your energy boost. You are then ingesting an excessive radiation dose [2]. So nearly everything you eat has potential drawbacks

[1]. Fortified Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Calcium Carbonate, Iron, Niacin (B3), Thiamin (B1)), Water, Raisins (14%), Maize Starch, Partially Inverted Sugar Syrup (Partially Inverted Sugar Syrup, E150c), Malted Barley Flour (5%), Barley Malt Extract (4.4%), Dried Whey (from Cows Milk), Vegetable Fats (Rapeseed, Palm), Salt, Yeast, Preservative: Calcium Propionate (Added to Inhibit Mould Growth).


[2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_equivalent_dose