MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
energy drinks and gels are acidic as I think maltdextrine is too
article
Those sugary gels might be bad for your teeth shocker.
Guess it depends on the particular gell but they are all high in sugars of various types, because that's what they are.
Not really surprising.
It's not just the sugar it's partly because they are acidic.
What's the pH of an energy gel? Your skin is acidic. And there's a reasonable amount of that in your mouth. Sugar would be more of an issue.
Exit: skin roughly pH of 5. Which is fine and dandy.
I note that the article doesn’t point to any proof it is sports drinks/gels causing problems - it suggests other possible factors too.
It's a bit of a non story, unless you're on a long race when you need a sugar boost.
If you're drinking energy gels every ride you should probably stop and have a look at your overall diet.
Just brush your teeth after a ride. Problem solved.
Eat a banana instead.
As a bonus, it's a lot more biodegradeable than a gel wrapper. Yes, even a banana.
Sugar gell bad for teeth, who'd have thunk it.
Never liked them myself.
Bananas and fruits are even worse for your teeth. Full of sugars and acids. And the very act of chewing causes your body to produce acids and enzymes to start the digestion process.
So really gels are no worse for your teeth than anything else you eat day to day.
This is up there with ursine lavatorial habits in terms of shock news, though.
Sporty health type being interviewed a while back by BBC I think, claimed he got diabetes from energy drinks, gels etc.
Anecdote over.
Izit coz dey conatain sugarz like
A bit of a mouth rinse before swallowing regular sips of your water will help a little, yet to try gels at all, but my usual ride fuel is jelly babies and I'm aware of the potential damage... Albeit I've had a denture (originally for two, now four missing teeth, all from my Xmas 2013 RTA) for ~5.5 years and an awful lots of the others have chips and cracks.
If you’re drinking energy gels every ride you should probably stop and have a look at your overall diet.
Or your life.
Majority of people really don’t need em but the powers of marketing are great.
Better to plan an fuel properly, mid ride cake an coffee way more enjoyable.
Don't chew 'em.