DIY Energy Gels: Cheap, Easy, and Just as Good as Maurten

Energy gels are a staple for endurance runners, but they come with a hefty price tag. You can easily spend £3.00+ per gel. Across a marathon training block, the cost adds up quickly.

We consume dozens of these little pouches, but in reality, most of us don’t even understand what they are.

When I was travelling, I was broke. There was no chance I was dropping £3 per gel when living on a daily budget of £25.

So to save money, I decided to learn what these gels are made of and explore whether I could make my own.

And guess what? I managed it — and I literally haven’t bought a commercial gel since.

In this post, I’ll show you how to make your own energy gels, and it’ll cost you less than 50p per serving.

But before we get mixing, let’s take a quick look at what’s actually inside a typical energy gel.

What’s inside a running gel?

At their core, energy gels are simple — just sugar, salt, and water. No special chemicals, additives or other weird ingredients.

Of course, it’s a little more complicated than that. Gels generally don’t contain “sugar” in the sense we understand it.

Regular table sugar — sucrose — is made up of 1 part glucose and 1 part fructose. It’s a perfect 50/50 split.

But gels are made using 2 parts glucose and 1 part fructose.

Why? Because this 2:1 glucose/fructose ratio allows your body to absorb the most carbohydrates per hour without causing stomach upset.

Think of it like two lanes of traffic: glucose and fructose are absorbed via completely different pathways, so combining them lets you get more fuel in efficiently.

Some gels also include optional extras, such as potassium, caffeine, or amino acids. But beyond that, gels are made entirely of ‘simple’ ingredients you can find in your local supermarket.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Now that you know what’s in a gel, here’s what you’ll need to make your own.

Core ingredients:

• Honey: my main sugar source (contains both fructose and glucose) - you can swap this out for regular sugar, but you will need to adjust the ratios

• Maltodextrin: 100% glucose, used to create that magic 2:1 glucose-to-fructose ratio

• Table salt: for sodium

• Water

Optional extras:

• LoSalt: contains potassium and sodium in a 2:1 ratio

• BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids): may aid in muscle recovery (research is inconclusive)

• Caffeine: because, well, why not?

You may be wondering why LoSalt? This brand is a type of salt marketed towards people with high blood pressure.

They replace 2/3s of the sodium chloride (table salt) with potassium chloride. That’s great for us, as it gives us a handy source of potassium.

You’ll also need some kind of reusable gel pouch or flask to store your gels on the go. There are plenty of reusable options available online.

Recipe and Ratios

Commercial gels generally contain around 21g of carbs and 85mg of sodium per serving.

Some gels also include around 50mg potassium and 50mg caffeine.

Here’s the recipe I use, designed to match those macros but at a fraction of the cost:

• Maltodextrin: 72g (all glucose)

• Honey: 112g (about 82% carbs, so ~92g carbs)

• Water: 80ml (adjust to get your preferred consistency)

• LoSalt: 2.3g

• Table Salt: 4.1g

• BCAAs (optional): 2-4g per teaspoon

• Caffeine tablets (optional): 2 tablets (100mg each), ground up

Mix everything on a scale:

1. Combine the maltodextrin and honey

2. Add your chosen salts (table salt and/or Lo-Salt)

3. If you’re using BCAAs or caffeine, add those in

4. Slowly mix in water until you reach your desired gel-like consistency

5. Seal the container and shake well

6. Let it sit for a bit to dissolve fully — in about a day, it should look smooth and ready

This batch makes about 8 portions, each roughly 30g, depending on how much water you use. You can weigh the final mix and divide by 8 to get exact servings.

When you’re ready to run, just squeeze some gel into your pouch and go.

Testing and Tweaking

Use your homemade gel on a run just like you would a commercial one. The great thing is, if it doesn’t sit right or causes discomfort, you can tweak it. Need less caffeine? Adjust it down. Cramping? Add more sodium or potassium.

Unlike Maurten gels that cost about £3.50 each, this DIY gel costs roughly 50p per serving.

Nutrition Comparison (per serving)

Brand	Carbs	Sodium	Potassium	Caffeine
DIY	21g	85mg	0-50mg	0-25mg
Maurten	25g	50mg	0mg	0mg
GU Roctane	21g	125mg	55mg	0-75mg

Making your own energy gels is dead simple, way cheaper, and lets you control exactly what goes into your body. If you’re interested in a full deep dive into the science behind gels, just drop a comment below.

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