If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best carbohydrate drink for endurance training is, then we recommend Performance Lab® SPORT Carb as the best one.
If you’re into weightlifting, you likely already know about the benefits of carb supplements.
You might not realize, though, that carb supplements are also useful for endurance training.
However, finding the best carbohydrate drink for endurance training is different than finding one for weightlifting.
Here are the top carbohydrate drinks we’ll be reviewing:
- NOW Sports Nutrition Carbo Gain Powder
- Vitargo Carbohydrate Powder
- Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb
- Genius Carbohydrate Powder
- Performance Lab® SPORT Carb
Anaerobic Versus Aerobic Exercise
Anaerobic Exercise
Anaerobic exercise is considered high-intensity and requires greater amounts of power and energy to be expended at once.
Common anaerobic exercises include weightlifting, sprinting, jumping rope and various types of high-intensity workouts.
Anaerobic workouts usually last between ten and 30 minutes, with individual exercises generally lasting two minutes or less.
Because many carb supplements and carbohydrate drinks deliver short, powerful bursts of energy, people are usually well aware of the positive benefits they have on anaerobic workouts.
The best carbohydrate drink for anaerobic workouts is one that can provide a powerful burst of initial energy pre-workout and great recovery benefits.
Aerobic Exercises
Aerobic means “with oxygen” and is aptly named because in addition to burning energy, this kind of workout is also powered by oxygen.
Many of the best carb supplements for aerobic exercise have similar benefits to the anaerobic carb drinks, but they should also provide longer, more sustained energy levels as well.
That’s because aerobic exercise, such as endurance training, doesn’t require as much instant power as anaerobic exercise.
Instead, it requires sustained energy because the exercise routines usually last longer.
In fact, according to the American Heart Association, the minimum amount of aerobic exercise that should be done is 30 minutes, preferably every day.
With aerobic exercise, you aren’t necessarily trying to build muscle or burn calories.
Instead, you’re building up your long-term strength, endurance, stamina and cardiovascular health.
This requires you to exercise with less intensity but for longer periods of time, which is why the best carbohydrate drink for aerobic exercise is one that provides lots of long-lasting, sustained energy.
Oddly enough, because many of the available supplements on the market provide both benefits – powerful initial energy bursts and long-term sustained energy levels – you may see a lot of overlap concerning the best carbohydrate drink for the two different types.
What to Look For
When You’ll Be Using It
One of the most important considerations when it comes to finding the best carbohydrate drink for your endurance training workouts is when exactly you’ll be consuming it.
Endurance training can last for as few as ten minutes at a time (if you’re performing your 30 minutes in stages) or can last for hours and hours at a time, such as a cross country marathon.
The best one for you will depend largely on when and how often you want to consume it.
For example, if you only plan on drinking it before you get started, you might want a different brand than what you’d need if you were going to consume them regularly throughout your routine or wait and only consume one at the end for recovery purposes.
Needed Benefits
With endurance training, you’re most likely looking for the sustained energy boost, but if that’s not all you’re after, you might want to consider whether or not a specific brand of carb powder is right for you or whether carb powder is right for you at all.
For example, if you’re hoping to burn calories and lose weight, carb powder isn’t going to be much help with that.
Additionally, if you’re looking to tone down and create lean muscle, which is really more of an anaerobic exercise, there are certain brands that are a little better for that than others.
Others are better at helping you retain the muscle you’ve gained. Still other brands of carb drinks are specifically designed for recovery after your workout is done.
While all carb drinks should be able to assist with these things, some will be better than others.
The Base
There are tons of different bases used in carbohydrate drinks. There used to be only two common bases: dextrose and maltodextrin.
Then companies began using a third base known as waxy maize. For a while, those three were pretty much it.
Recently, though, companies have started experimenting with other bases, and each of the different bases has its own benefits and disadvantages.
For endurance training, maltodextrin is usually preferable to dextrose because dextrose is composed of a single sugar, whereas maltodextrin is a complex polysaccharide, which takes longer to break down in the body.
The result is that dextrose is digested quickly, providing a rapid, powerful energy burst, while maltodextrin is broken down more slowly.
The energy derived from maltodextrin doesn’t hit as hard initially, but it’s more sustainable.
Waxy maize was larger than both the original two bases and could be broken down even more quickly than dextrose but also provided a more sustainable energy source than dextrose.
It’s not quite as sustainable as maltodextrin, though.
The Best Carbohydrate Drinks
NOW Sports Nutrition Carbo Gain Powder
NOW Sports Nutrition Carbo Gain Powder uses maltodextrin as its base, which is optimal for long-term energy. The powder mixes well but isn’t exactly unflavored.
It’s not terrible, but it’s not something I would drink for pleasure. There are a few different sizes from which to choose, and it’s very affordable.
In terms of keeping me energized throughout the whole jogging/cycling session, this was probably the best, save for maybe Performance Sport (see below).
As for disadvantages, there were a few.
Although not a problem for me, my friend, who was testing with me, complained of bloating and minor stomach issues during the first week of taking it.
Additionally, I found myself gaining weight while using it, although much of it came in the form of calf muscles. This could also be beneficial for people trying to put on weight.
Pros:
- Mixes well; no clumping.
- Excellent for adding weight.
- Helped add muscle even when muscle wasn’t the goal.
- Very affordable.
- Noticed an increase in mental activity/alertness while taking.
Cons:
- Taste isn’t great; more bearable in shakes.
- Adds weight.
- Can cause stomach problems in the first week.
Vitargo Carbohydrate Powder
Vitargo Carbohydrate Powder is a mid-to-high priced carb drink.
It uses a newer base called vitargo, which we found to be more geared towards high-intensity, anaerobic training than endurance training, but if you’re looking for a massive initial energy spike, this will provide it.
As for sustaining energy during your workout, this one wasn’t as good as the ones with maltodextrin/karbolyn bases, but when it comes to recovery, it was a superstar!
I definitely noticed that I recovered my energy more quickly with this powder and felt fewer negative effects after a long run – fewer aches and pains, less stiffness, no exhaustion, etc.
There are plenty of flavor options that mix well and actually taste good, and an added bonus that I didn’t expect was a fantastic night’s sleep! I honestly haven’t slept this good since I was a teenager.
The biggest downside was uncharacteristic gas.
Pros:
- Superb recovery drink; one of the best.
- Improves sleep.
- Digests quickly; delivers powerful initial energy boost.
- Tastes okay.
Cons:
- On the expensive side.
- Doesn’t work as well for sustaining the energy needed for aerobic exercise.
- Didn’t always mix well; can get very thick.
- Can cause gas.
Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb
Post JYM Fast-Digesting Carb is a good option if you’re on a budget and want something that tastes good. The lemonade, especially, is my favorite.
Because of the affordable price, I’ve often used this for my high-intensity workouts, and I wanted to try it for endurance training.
I was skeptical of the dextrose base, which is better-known for pre-/post-workouts than sustained energy levels, and to a certain extent, my fears were justified.
It definitely didn’t sustain me the way the karbolyn and maltodextrin bases did, but it held up better than anticipated.
Although it’s dextrose-based, it doesn’t hit hard at the beginning and wear off quickly. It hits strong, but it doesn’t use everything up on the initial burst.
It lasts nearly to the end of my jogs and about halfway through my cycling trips. It was also on par with the vitargo for recovery.
My recovery time was quick, and I felt very little tiredness or pain. My non-diabetic friend who often experiences low blood sugar after workouts uses it to help recover her blood sugar levels.
Pros:
- Good price.
- Exceptional post-workout drink, especially for recovering post-workout blood sugar levels.
- Tastes amazing, especially on ice.
- A nice mixture of initial and sustained energy.
Cons:
- May not sustain you for the entire endurance session.
- Leaves some residue.
Genius Carbohydrate Powder
Genius Carbohydrate Powder is an expensive product, and the unflavored taste isn’t exactly unflavored. Otherwise, it’s a good drink.
Its base is something the company calls Carb10, which is a mixture of carbs that digests quickly and doesn’t affect the glycemic index or blood sugar levels quite as much as maltodextrin.
My friend and I did notice that we didn’t feel the telltale signs of blood sugar spikes that we often feel when using carb drinks.
Like the NOW Sports drink, this one will have you putting on weight, which can be good or bad depending on your needs.
My friend and I both noticed a slight increase in weight after only a short time using the product. We also noticed muscle gains, as well. It’s also an excellent option for sustainable energy.
Whatever makes up Carb10 does a great job of providing a continuous dose of energy for an entire workout.
Pros:
- Excellent for weight gain.
- Excellent for muscle gain.
- Does a great job of providing a constant, sustainable source of energy for the long-haul.
- Doesn’t spike the blood sugar.
Cons:
- Causes weight gain.
- Expensive.
- Not optimal for post-workout recovery.
- Doesn’t taste great.
Performance Lab® SPORT Carb
Karbolyn isn’t a base I had much experience with prior to trying Performance Lab® SPORT Carb. My first impression was that it hits like a speeding train – in a good way!
I know it’s impossible, but I felt like the energy hit me before I’d even finished the entire drink. It has a super quick digestive rate, and the initial energy is amazing.
What surprised me, though, was that I was able to sustain my energy levels, not quite at such a high rate, but high enough that I didn’t get draggy towards the end of routines.
The recovery benefits were equally astonishing.
The all-natural ingredients were a plus, and I, personally, noticed a lessening of some of the chronic tension I seem to carry in my shoulders.
Honestly, other than the high price, there’s not a lot of bad here.
Pros:
- Great “all-around” energy – powerful beginning, sustained middle and excellent recovery.
- Helped relieve chronic tension/aches.
- Absorbed super fast.
- All-natural ingredients.
Cons:
- Expensive.
Our Favorite
While these are all fairly great choices, our pick for the best carbohydrate drink for endurance training is Performance Lab® SPORT Carb.
It utilizes one of the newer bases, karbolyn, which combines the best of both dextrose and maltodextrin.
It absorbs rapidly for a nice initial surge, but it’s long-lasting, so it can sustain you throughout your entire workout.
It’s no slacker in the recovery department either.
We also like that it’s all-natural with no harmful additives. In fact, other than the price, we didn’t find a lot of downsides with this one at all, which is why it’s our number one choice.
