If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best carbohydrate drink for a marathon is, then we recommend Performance Lab® SPORT Carb as the best one.
Are you ready to achieve your goal of completing a marathon?
Congratulations!
Throughout your training, you’ve learned how critical the right nutrition is to performance.
This means that you need to know about the best carbohydrate drink for a marathon.
Keep reading to learn about how carbohydrates fuel your performance.
Here are the top carbohydrate drinks we’ll be reviewing:
- Genius Carbohydrate Powder
- Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb
- Vitargo Carbohydrate Powder
- NOW Sports Nutrition, Carbo Gain Powder
- Performance Lab® SPORT Carb
What You Need to Know About Carb Loading
Whether you have chosen to run or walk the marathon, your body will need fuel to keep going. The best fuel you can choose is a carbohydrate drink.
Aid stations along the route are set up for runners to get the hydration that they need. Usually, a carbohydrate drink is included.
If you have a preferred carbohydrate drink, then you may want to wear a hydration system that’s filled with your drink on race day.
Carbohydrate Drinks Vs. Water
Water is essential for remaining hydrated, but when you’re running a marathon, you need more than hydration.
You also need glycogen.
During a run, your body burns fat and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in your liver and your muscles.
The fitter you are, the more glycogen your body is able to store.
This glycogen is broken down as glucose during your run, and if you run harder, you’ll burn more.
Eventually, your glycogen levels get depleted, forcing your body to burn fat.
Burning fat is approximately 15-percent less efficient than burning glucose, so may notice that you start slowing down.
If you want to improve your race-day performance, then it’s critical that you glycogen load before your race and take in more carbohydrates during the race.
Accordingly, it’s better to drink a carbohydrate drink during a marathon when compared to water, which cannot give you glucose that you need.
Of course, sipping water along the way also is a good idea to ensure that you stay hydrated, but your carbohydrate drink can provide you with the vast majority of the hydration you need.
Things to Look for in a Carbohydrate Drink
Not all carbohydrate drinks are created equal. Many of them have extra ingredients that could hurt your performance.
For instance, you don’t want a low-calorie carbohydrate drink because these beverages probably have no sugar.
However, sugar is what you need to replenish your glycogen.
This makes it important to choose a sports drink that has a carbohydrate concentration of approximately six to eight percent.
This mixture can be absorbed into the bloodstream so that your body can use it almost immediately.
It’s also vital to consider the type of sugar that the carbohydrate drink contains. Glucose and fructose seem to be the best sugars for endurance athletes according to research.
Other sugars like sucrose and maltodextrin also may be effective.
Additives like herbal supplements, protein and vitamins are not helpful during your race, so you can forego drinks that have these substances.
What Are the Benefits of Drinking the Best Carbohydrate Drink for a Marathon?
If you’re training for a marathon, then you probably have heard more experienced runners talk about “hitting the wall.”
This is a phenomenon in which runners deplete their store of glycogen. Their energy level goes off a cliff, and they are overwhelmed with fatigue.
Many runners who hit the wall are unable to finish their race.
Because this phenomenon is largely caused by glycogen depletion, it’s critical that runners focus on taking in glucose via a carbohydrate drink during a long-distance race.
This helps to ensure that you won’t hit the wall on the big day.
Another benefit of finding the best carbohydrate drink for a marathon is that you’ll feel great.
When I ran my first marathon, I wish that I would’ve known more about glycogen and how it fueled my run.
I would have focused less on water intake and more on a sensible sports drink that offered a balance of hydration, sugar and electrolytes.
That’s because taking in too much fluid volume is a recipe for disaster. I had so much water sloshing around in my stomach that there was no way I could have the energy to finish my race.
What I needed instead was a smaller volume of a drink that absorbed into my body about as fast as water but was also able to provide me with the glucose that my body so desperately needed.
I kept drinking more water, thinking that it would make me feel energized.
Now I know that I wasn’t giving my body the fuel that it required. Because water does nothing for glycogen levels and because I was drinking too much of it, I felt sick and had to quit the race.
Accordingly, one of the benefits of using a carbohydrate drink is that it helps you to not only finish your race but also achieve a better time.
Best Carbohydrate Drink Reviews
Genius Carbohydrate Powder
If you’re diabetic or subject to crashes after consuming sugar, then Genius Carbohydrate Powder may be the best carbohydrate drink for you.
That’s because it offers a low-glycemic source of energy.
According to the manufacturer, this product produces lower blood sugar and insulin responses to help you avoid sugar highs and lows.
This unflavored sports drink relies on an ingredient called Carb10. Calling it a “source of clean, sustained energy,” the manufacturer discloses that this powdered drink mix is made from pea starch.
This vegan, non-GMO product offers low osmolality, which means that it’s quickly absorbed.
Because of its fast absorption rate, Genius Carb is unlikely to leave you bloated.
This may be a good choice for people who are looking for a gluten-free, non-allergenic option.
However, Genius Carb cannot offer the the ability to top off a runner’s glycogen levels because it features no glucose, fructose or dextrose.
This makes it acceptable if you’re diabetic and have to be extremely careful about blood sugar. Otherwise, it won’t give you what you need.
Moreover, this is a pretty expensive option, and it may need to be mixed with an electrolyte powder to give you a needed power boost.
Pros:
- Low-glycemic energy source
- No sugar crash
- Quick absorption
Cons:
- Not a good source of glycogen
- Expensive
- Need to add electrolytes
Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb
Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb is a dextrose-based drink mix formulated for post-workout recovery. However, it may be effective in endurance races.
Runners may be drawn to this product because it’s available in several great-tasting varieties.
Each scoop contains 30 grams of carbs, all of which come from dextrose.
This is a fast-digesting carbohydrate to minimize bloating.
Accordingly, this powdered drink mix provides plenty of energy even in the midst of the longest runs.
The JYM company was founded years ago by Dr. Jim Stoppani. For about a decade before that, Dr. Stoppani served as the Muscle and Fitness magazine senior science editor.
Accordingly, you can rest assured that this formula is backed by science.
The large serving size may be a drawback on shorter training days, but perfect for race day.
There are many extras in this formula that aren’t necessary to boost your performance.
This product is aimed at post-workout recovery, so it might be better to save it for after your race.
Pros:
- Lots of delicious flavors
- Dextrose-based
- Backed by science
Cons:
- Huge serving sizes
- Lots of extra additives
- Formulated for post-workout recovery
Vitargo Carbohydrate Powder
The manufacturer boasts that it’s used by professional athletes and Olympians, so the Vitargo Carbohydrate Powder could help you achieve a personal best.
However, it’s wise to keep in mind that this product is sugar-free. Its carbohydrate content is derived from fractionated barley amylopectin.
Amylopectin has the effect of raising levels of blood sugar and insulin, which is what you need during a marathon.
According to the manufacturer, it’s appropriate to drink this product before, during and after workouts to increase stamina and maximize the recovery of glycogen.
Each serving contains 25 grams of carbs, and Vitargo appears to be quickly absorbed.
The amylopectin that powers Vitargo is farmed in Sweden in a non-GMO facility.
While it does restore glycogen levels, it doesn’t seem to produce any kind of sugar crash.
However, Vitargo does have mixing issues, which means that you may end up with clumps.
Taste issues can be a problem too, but some runners will like it.
Because it doesn’t include glucose, fructose or dextrose, it may not give you the glycogen restoration you need.
Pros:
- Appropriate for before, during and after runs
- 25 grams of carbs in each serving
- Grown on a non-GMO farm in Sweden
Cons:
- Can turn out clumpy
- Some flavors are not good
- Doesn’t have glucose, fructose or dextrose
NOW Sports Nutrition, Carbo Gain Powder
The main ingredient in NOW Sports Nutrition, Carbo Gain Powder is maltodextrin, which is made from non-GMO corn.
Maltodextrin’s main building blocks are glucose polymers that are easy to digest, making this a good choice.
Runners also may appreciate that this product is packaged in the U.S. by a family-owned company. However, the ingredients appear to be blended overseas.
This formulation does feature extra vitamins and minerals, so if you’re looking for a product that offers you just a sugar boost, look elsewhere.
This one could leave you feeling too full.
Runners may prefer that this is an unflavored drink, which means that it can be mixed into almost anything without affecting the taste.
You may need to supplement with electrolytes since these are not included.
Given that you need a large, half-cup measure, you’re getting a big serving. This might be good for the marathon, but too much at other times.
Mixing this one is a chore. Be sure to use an appropriate mixing bottle for best results.
Pros:
- Glycogen spikes from maltodextrin
- Unflavored
- Easy to digest
Cons:
- Serving sizes are huge
- Mixing is a pain
- Has additives
Performance Lab® SPORT Carb
Performance Lab® SPORT Carb relies on an ingredient called KarboLyn.
The manufacturer boasts that this ingredient “is bioengineered to a small molecular size” so that your body can absorb it at maximum speed.
Consequently, you won’t feel bloated or get sick to your stomach.
This carbohydrate lasts a long time, so you don’t have to ingest a ton of it to feel the positive effects.
Another thing that sets this carbohydrate drink apart from the competition is the addition of organic coconut sugar and Himalayan pink salt.
Both of these are transporters to ensure efficient delivery to tired muscles.
Non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free and synthetic-additive free, this carbohydrate drink is vegan-friendly too.
The flavor of this product is pretty good too. That’s mostly thanks to a combination of Ceylon cinnamon, vanilla and cocoa.
The energy in this product comes from a combination of homopolysaccharride derived from potato, rice and corn.
Thanks to this formulation, this product is quickly absorbed into the system but doesn’t deliver the crash that often comes from a sugar high.
While this carbohydrate drink is great, it isn’t perfect. There’s only one flavor, which can be a drawback if you don’t like it.
It’s also rather expensive, and you can only get it from the Performance Lab website, which means there’s no competition to offer you a better price.
Pros:
- Delivers fast-acting, long-lasting energy
- Super-quick absorption
- No extras or additives
Cons:
- Only one flavor
- Expensive
- Only available through one website
Final Thoughts
Based on the ingredients, Performance Lab® SPORT Carb is an excellent choice for runners.
It achieves an excellent balance between quick absorption and longevity.
Essentially, it absorbs quickly upon ingestion, and then it works for a long time.
This is exactly what you want from the best carbohydrate drink because it restores your glycogen levels fast and doesn’t cause a crash as it wears off.
It’s also helpful that this powder mixes really easily and has a pleasing flavor.
It would be nice if it were more widely available, but this is an excellent choice overall.
