What to Take During a Workout for Energy?

November 27, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, fueling for performance, especially in workouts lasting over 60 minutes, is crucial for maintaining energy levels and delaying fatigue. Knowing what to take during a workout for energy can be the key to breaking through plateaus and achieving your fitness goals.

Quick Summary

The ideal intra-workout fuel varies based on exercise duration and intensity, focusing on rapidly absorbed carbohydrates, fluids, and electrolytes to combat fatigue and dehydration. For longer sessions, supplements like gels and specialized drinks can be beneficial, while water is sufficient for shorter workouts.

Key Points

Duration is key: For workouts under 60 minutes, pre-workout fuel and water are usually enough; longer sessions require intra-workout carbs and electrolytes.
Carbohydrates are essential: Rapidly absorbed carbs, like those from sports drinks, gels, or bananas, are the body's preferred energy source for high-intensity, prolonged exercise.
Hydration goes beyond water: Intense sweating leads to electrolyte loss, so supplementing with electrolytes like sodium and potassium is vital for maintaining fluid balance and preventing cramping.
Fueling should be practiced: Test different foods and drinks during training to see what works best for your body, and consume small, frequent amounts to avoid stomach upset.
Natural vs. supplemental: Whole foods like bananas and coconut water are excellent natural options, while commercial sports drinks and gels offer convenient, fast-acting energy and electrolyte replacement.
Customize your strategy: Your ideal intra-workout nutrition plan is unique and depends on factors like workout intensity, duration, and personal tolerance.
Avoid GI issues: During exercise, avoid high-fiber, high-fat, or overly concentrated sugary options, as these can cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Fueling Strategies: How Long Is Your Workout?

Your intra-workout nutrition strategy should be tailored to the length and intensity of your exercise session. A 45-minute moderate-intensity workout has vastly different fueling needs than a 90-minute high-intensity endurance session. Understanding your body's energy stores and how quickly they are depleted is the first step toward effective fueling.

Workouts Under 60 Minutes

For most general workouts lasting an hour or less, your body's stored glycogen and adequate pre-workout nutrition are typically sufficient. Plain water is the ideal fluid to maintain hydration.

Stay hydrated: Sip water frequently throughout the workout.
Pre-fuel properly: A light, carbohydrate-rich snack eaten 1-2 hours beforehand can top off energy stores.

Workouts Over 60 Minutes

As exercise duration and intensity increase, it becomes necessary to replenish carbohydrates and electrolytes to prevent a performance drop.

Intra-workout carbohydrates: For sessions lasting over an hour, aim for 30-60 grams of rapidly absorbed carbohydrates per hour.
Replenish electrolytes: Significant sweating leads to a loss of electrolytes like sodium and potassium. Sports drinks containing electrolytes can help restore this balance, especially in hot conditions.

Carbohydrates: The Primary Fuel Source

Carbohydrates are your body's preferred source of fuel during intense exercise. The body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which is used for immediate energy. For longer workouts, maintaining blood glucose levels prevents fatigue and keeps you performing strongly.

Simple vs. Complex Carbs

During exercise, simple carbohydrates (high glycemic index) are absorbed more quickly, providing a fast energy boost. While complex carbs are great for pre-workout energy, their slow digestion can be an issue mid-workout. A mix of glucose and fructose sources is optimal for high carbohydrate intake during endurance events, as they use different absorption pathways, minimizing gastric distress.

Quick-Absorbing Carb Sources

Sports Gels: Highly concentrated and designed for quick absorption.
Sports Drinks: Provide both carbs and electrolytes in an easily digestible liquid form.
Bananas: A natural source of easily digestible carbohydrates and potassium.
Dates: A quick, natural source of sugar and fiber.

The Crucial Role of Hydration and Electrolytes

Water is vital for almost every bodily function, including regulating body temperature and transporting nutrients. Dehydration can lead to a significant drop in performance and increase the risk of heat-related illness. For intense or long-duration exercise, rehydration requires more than just water. Electrolytes are essential minerals lost through sweat that are critical for nerve function, muscle contractions, and maintaining fluid balance.

Natural Electrolyte Sources

Coconut Water: Rich in potassium and naturally hydrating.
Salt: A small pinch of salt can be added to water to help replenish sodium, which is often lost in high quantities.
Fruits and Vegetables: Watermelon, oranges, and cucumbers are rich in both water and electrolytes.

Intra-Workout Supplements: When to Use Them

For high-performance athletes or those pushing for prolonged, intense efforts, specific supplements can offer a targeted advantage.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs): Some athletes use BCAAs during workouts to potentially reduce muscle breakdown and fatigue, though the evidence is debated. BCAAs are not a direct energy source in the way carbs are.
Performance Enhancers: Other compounds like citrulline malate and beta-alanine are sometimes included in intra-workout formulas to aid blood flow or buffer acidity in muscles, respectively.

Table: Comparison of Intra-Workout Fueling Options


Fuel Source	Primary Nutrient(s)	Absorption Rate	Best For	Pros	Cons
Water	Water	Fast	Short workouts (<60 min)	Essential for hydration, no calories	No carbs/electrolytes for longer sessions
Sports Drink	Carbohydrates, Electrolytes	Fast	Long workouts (>60 min)	Replaces carbs and electrolytes simultaneously	Can be high in sugar, potential for GI distress
Energy Gels/Chews	Concentrated Carbs	Very Fast	Endurance sports	Convenient, rapid energy source	Can cause stomach upset, taste can be an issue
Banana	Carbohydrates, Potassium	Moderate	Any moderate to long workout	Natural, provides potassium	Less rapid than gels, can be bulky
Coconut Water	Electrolytes, Water	Fast	Hydration support	Natural, source of potassium	Lower sodium content than sports drinks

Avoiding Stomach Upset

Intense exercise diverts blood flow away from the digestive system to working muscles, making proper digestion difficult and potentially causing gastrointestinal (GI) distress. To minimize the risk, it is important to:

Avoid high-fiber and high-fat foods immediately before and during exercise.
Test new nutrition strategies during training, not on race day.
Train your gut by gradually increasing carbohydrate intake over time to improve absorption.
Consume fluids and carbs in smaller, more frequent doses rather than large amounts at once.

Conclusion

Fueling effectively during a workout is crucial for sustaining energy and maximizing performance, particularly for sessions lasting over an hour. While water is often sufficient for shorter, moderate exercises, longer or more intense activities demand a more strategic approach involving carbohydrates and electrolytes. The best intra-workout fuel provides a balance of quick-absorbing carbs for energy and essential electrolytes for hydration, tailored to your individual needs and exercise demands. Whether you choose natural options like bananas and coconut water or opt for convenient sports drinks and gels, practicing your fueling strategy during training is key to avoiding GI distress and ensuring a strong finish.

The Takeaway

Selecting the right intra-workout fuel is a personal journey. Pay attention to how your body responds to different food and drink options, and adjust your approach based on the duration and intensity of your training. For most people, a simple, tested strategy of consuming easily digestible carbs and staying hydrated with an electrolyte drink for longer sessions will be most effective. By understanding the science behind intra-workout fueling, you can ensure your energy tank is always full and your performance is consistently optimized.

Train your gut for optimal performance with expert guidance from the University of Kansas Health System.

Frequently Asked Questions

For workouts lasting over an hour, a sports drink containing carbohydrates and electrolytes is recommended to maintain blood sugar and hydration levels. For shorter workouts, plain water is sufficient.

Yes, bananas are an excellent source of quickly digestible carbohydrates and potassium, making them a great natural option for energy, especially during longer training sessions.

For endurance exercise lasting longer than 90 minutes, start consuming 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour of training. This timing helps maintain blood glucose and delays fatigue.

Electrolytes help regulate nerve and muscle function, and replenish minerals like sodium and potassium lost through sweat. This is crucial for maintaining fluid balance and preventing muscle cramps during intense exercise.

Protein is not the body's primary energy source during exercise. While protein intake is important for muscle repair after a workout, carbohydrates are the main fuel needed during a session to provide energy.

The choice depends on the workout. For long, intense sessions, supplements like sports drinks and gels offer convenient, rapid-acting energy and electrolytes. For less demanding workouts, natural foods like bananas or coconut water provide effective energy and hydration.

No, most pre-workout supplements contain stimulants intended for use before a session, not during. Excessive use or use during a workout can cause side effects like jitters, headaches, and stomach upset.