Alginate and HM-pectin in sports-drink give rise to intra-gastric gelation in-vivo

The addition of gelling polysaccharides to sport-drinks may provide improved tolerability of drinks with high concentration of digestible carbohydrates (CHO), otherwise known to increase the risk of gastro-intestinal complaints among athletes under prolonged exercise. The physico-chemical properties of a drink containing 14 % wt of digestible CHO (0.7:1 fructose and maltodextrin-ratio), 0.2 % wt of HM-pectin / alginate and 0.06 % wt. sodium chloride were examined under in vitro gastric conditions using rheology and large deformation testing. The in-vivo gelling behaviour of the drink was studied using magnetic resonance imaging of subjects at rest together with blood glucose measurements. The in-vivo results confirm gelation of the test drink, with no gel remaining in the stomach at 60 min and blood glucose values were similar to control. The physico-chemical characterisation of the acidified test drink confirms the formation of a weak gel through which low Mw CHO can diffuse