Ingredients In Powerbar Gel

Energy foods such as the electrolyte replacement drinks from Gatorade and the energy bars and gels from Powerbar claim to provide your body with the carbohydrates and ionic compounds necessary for prolonged physical exertion. As the competition among such products becomes more intense, companies have added more complex supplements in an effort to provide the most powerful boost possible.

Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is a chain of linked glucose molecules derived from hydrolyzing--or breaking apart--starches found in corn, potatoes and rice. It is a food additive known for being easily digested and anywhere from moderately sweet to flavorless. In Powerbar Gel it functions as a carbohydrate energy source. Your body is able to transform sugars such as maltodextrin into energy much more quickly than proteins or fats.

Sodium Chloride

Sodium chloride is common table salt. In your body, sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of your extracellular fluid. Since ions such as salt have a tendency to "draw" water into a body compartment, the consumption of too much salt causes a retention of fluids in the blood and results in hypertension. It is also the most abundant ionic compound lost in sweat. Nowadays, it is produced in large quantities by evaporating salt water or by mining rock salt. It is included in Powerbar Gel to replace the electrolytes lost while sweating and increase hydration by facilitating the absorption of water.

Potassium Chloride

Another electrolyte, potassium chloride also has a wide range of uses in both the industrial and pharmaceutical industries. Most of the potassium chloride produced in the world is used in fertilizer because many plants require potassium to grow. Low levels of potassium in the blood result in a medical condition known as hypokalemia which can cause cardiac arrhythmias. In energy drinks or gels, potassium chloride is included as an electrolyte replacement and is usually mixed with sodium chloride to offset the bitter taste.

Ginseng

This is a fleshy-rooted plant native to the Northern Hemisphere in Eastern Asia. Its name comes from the Chinese term for "man root" due to the plant's forked, thick root structure which resembles the shape of a man. While it has proven difficult to scientifically verify ginseng's purported pharmaceutical effects, it has been used traditionally to provide energy, as an aphrodisiac, and to reduce stress.

Kola Nut Extract

Kola nuts grow on trees native to the tropical rainforests of Africa. Tribes there have traditionally chewed kola nuts as a stimulant. They contain high levels of caffeine and were originally used in the creation of soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi, although now they have been replaced with artificial ingredients. In human beings, caffeine enhances alertness and physical energy, suppresses the appetite, and elevates mood.