Do You Need to Drink Water with Maurten Gel?

January 4, 2026 •

4 min read

According to Maurten, their gels do not technically require water to be consumed simultaneously, a unique feature attributed to their hydrogel technology. This differs significantly from many conventional energy gels, which are essentially concentrated sugar syrups that must be diluted with water to prevent stomach upset.

Quick Summary

The unique hydrogel technology in Maurten gels enables efficient carbohydrate delivery without needing immediate water for digestion, unlike traditional gels. Although not required for absorption, staying hydrated is crucial for overall performance, so athletes should drink plain water to thirst in parallel with their fueling strategy.

Key Points

No Immediate Water Needed: Unlike most traditional gels, Maurten's hydrogel technology means you don't have to consume water simultaneously to aid digestion.
Superior Digestion: The hydrogel encapsulates carbohydrates, allowing for smoother transport through the stomach to the intestines, which reduces gastrointestinal stress and discomfort.
Hydration is Separate: While water isn't required for gel absorption, proper hydration is still critical for overall performance. You should continue to drink water as needed, but it doesn't need to be paired with the gel.
Optimized Fueling: The efficient delivery system allows athletes to consume higher amounts of carbohydrates per hour (up to 100g) without GI issues, a major advantage for endurance sports.
Natural Ingredients: Maurten gels use minimal, natural ingredients, avoiding artificial flavors and preservatives that can sometimes upset sensitive stomachs.
Practice in Training: Always test your race-day fueling plan, including your use of Maurten gels and water, during training sessions to ensure your body is accustomed to the strategy.

Understanding the Maurten Difference: Hydrogel Technology

To grasp why you don't need to drink water with Maurten gels, it's essential to understand the science behind their proprietary hydrogel technology. While many traditional gels are just simple sugar and water mixtures, Maurten's gels are fundamentally different. They are composed of a biopolymer matrix, essentially a natural cage made from alginate (derived from seaweed) and pectin (from fruit).

When you consume a Maurten Gel, this pre-formed hydrogel structure travels smoothly through the acidic environment of the stomach. The gel encapsulates the carbohydrates, protecting them until they reach the intestines, where the hydrogel then breaks down and releases the carbohydrates for absorption. This bypasses the typical digestive issues associated with high-carbohydrate intake, such as bloating and cramping. This streamlined process means the traditional need to immediately chase a gel with water to aid digestion is eliminated, offering athletes a new level of fueling convenience.

The Role of Water and Hydration with Maurten Gels

Despite the unique advantage of not requiring water for absorption, proper hydration remains a critical component of any endurance performance strategy. The water you consume separately serves its own vital function—maintaining blood volume, regulating body temperature, and supporting overall physiological processes. Drinking plain water will not negatively impact the hydrogel's effectiveness. The key is to manage your fueling and hydration as two parallel, but separate, strategies.

For most athletes, a smart approach is to use Maurten gels for their carbohydrate delivery while drinking water to thirst or according to a pre-determined hydration schedule. This flexible approach allows you to separate your fueling from your hydration. For example, on race day, you can consume a gel at a designated point and then drink water whenever you pass a fluid station, without needing to sync the two actions perfectly. This is a significant logistical advantage, especially during intense, competitive events.

Maurten vs. Traditional Gels: A Comparison


Feature	Maurten Hydrogel Gels	Traditional Gels
Need for Water	Not required for digestion	Essential for proper digestion and to avoid stomach upset
Hydrogel Technology	Pre-formed biopolymer matrix encapsulates carbs	Simple water and carbohydrate syrup
Digestive Comfort	Significantly reduced risk of GI distress	Higher risk of bloating and cramping, especially with high-carb intake
Ingredients	Minimal, natural ingredients (e.g., water, glucose, fructose, pectin)	Often contain added flavors, preservatives, and artificial ingredients
Taste Profile	Neutral and mildly sweet	Often strong, overly sweet flavors
Convenience	Can be taken anytime, anywhere during a race	Requires timing consumption with a water source

Practical Advice for Using Maurten Gels

Testing your fueling strategy during training is non-negotiable. Here are a few tips to optimize your use of Maurten gels:

Practice Your Plan: Use your gels and hydration strategy during your long training runs to see what works best for your body. Don't experiment on race day.
Separate Fuel and Fluid: Embrace the freedom to fuel with Maurten gel independently from your hydration. This can simplify your race logistics dramatically.
Drink to Thirst: While you don't need to pair a gel with a specific amount of water, you still need to drink. Listen to your body and consume fluids as needed throughout your activity.
Higher Carbohydrate Intake: The hydrogel technology enables some athletes, including elites like Eliud Kipchoge, to tolerate up to 100 grams of carbohydrates per hour without distress. You can use this to your advantage to maintain higher energy levels for longer durations.
Plan Your Race: Create a schedule for when you will take your gels during a race. For a marathon, Maurten suggests taking a gel every 20-40 minutes depending on your target pace.

Conclusion: The Final Word on Maurten and Water

In summary, you do not need to drink water at the same time as you consume a Maurten gel. This is the key distinction from many other gels on the market and is a direct result of Maurten's hydrogel technology. The pre-formed hydrogel matrix protects the stomach and enables efficient carbohydrate transport to the intestines, reducing the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort. However, this does not eliminate the need for overall hydration. Water is still an essential component of your performance, and you should drink it regularly, either at aid stations or from your own bottles, to replace lost fluids. By using Maurten gels for your carbohydrate delivery and managing your hydration separately, you can create a more flexible and effective fueling strategy for your endurance events.

One Last Thing to Remember

Remember that every athlete is different. Your tolerance for carbohydrates and your hydration needs can vary based on individual physiology, workout intensity, and environmental conditions. The best approach is to test and refine your strategy during training so that you are confident and prepared on race day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Maurten gels utilize patented hydrogel technology, which encapsulates the carbohydrates in a natural biopolymer matrix. This pre-formed gel allows for smooth passage through the stomach to the intestine, where the carbs are absorbed, eliminating the need for water to dilute a concentrated sugary syrup.

Yes, you should still drink water to stay hydrated. Drinking plain water does not interfere with the hydrogel's effectiveness. Maurten advises athletes to drink according to their thirst and hydration needs, independent of their gel intake.

The main benefit is convenience and reduced risk of GI distress. It allows athletes to consume carbohydrates at any time during an event without having to time it perfectly with a water station, simplifying race-day logistics and preventing stomach upset.

The hydrogel matrix protects the stomach lining from the high concentration of carbohydrates. This allows the carbs to be transported efficiently to the intestines for absorption, rather than sitting in the stomach and causing bloating, sloshing, or cramping.

Yes, a significant one. Maurten's drink mixes are designed to be mixed with a specific amount of water to create the hydrogel in the stomach. The gels, however, are already in a pre-formed hydrogel state and do not require additional water to be consumed with them.

While the gel's absorption won't be affected, you will still risk dehydration, which can severely impact performance. Dehydration reduces blood volume and affects physiological function, so separate hydration is always critical during exercise.

Yes, absolutely. You should always practice your race-day fueling strategy during training to confirm your body's tolerance and comfort with any nutrition product. This helps you determine your personal fueling and hydration needs.

A practical approach is to consume a Maurten gel at pre-planned intervals and then drink plain water at aid stations or from your own bottles as you feel thirsty. This separates the fueling and hydration processes and simplifies your race execution.