Competitive Cyclist Reviews EFS Liquid Shot
This is one six-pack you want to knock back when behind the bars. If you’re riding all day. Literally. First Endurance is building on the success of their drinks and bar with this “gel,” the EFS Liquid Shot. We put quotes around gel because there are no gelling agents in the liquid. Since you probably don’t ride all day that often, you can take a flask in place of two bars. Or in place of a bar and toss it in the fridge when you get home.
You might think the world needs another energy liquid like it needs another hole in the ozone layer. You’d be wrong. It gets down to this; the EFS Liquid Shot is jammed with carbohydrates, amino acids, and electrolytes. And goes down easy thanks to the absence of gelling agents, which can make “gels” sticky and dry. Without these agents, the liquid is more viscous and can be ingested without the aid of water.
The first thing is they measure a serving as five ounces of liquid, which fills the flask the shot comes in. In that, you’ll find 400 calories. Of the 400, there are 100g of carbohydrate in a mix of glucose, maltodextrin, and sucrose. The reason for the mix is to have fast-acting, slow-acting, and easy-absorbing carbs. The bottle also has 1000mg of amino acids, broken down into glutamine and branch-chain amino acids isoleucine, leucine, and valine. There is also a pretty heavy-duty electrolyte blend of 400mg sodium, 290mg potassium, 150mg calcium, 120mg magnesium, and 600mg chloride. As all cyclists should know, we sweat out salt and have a great need for electrolytes when exercising hard, and the loss of salt can lead to cramping. First Endurance argues that you need more than just salt to prevent cramping; that’s why the rest of the electrolytes are present. The Liquid Shot will keep your electrolytes balanced, help with absorption, reduce lactic acid build-up and keep the body going.
If you’re the type who can’t reach back for your pockets or, in the cold, have poor pocket access, you can empty the flask, or two, into a water bottle and top off with water. 400 calories in a standard-sized bottle is thicker than any drink we know. 400 calories is also about the size of two bars. Doing two in a bottle would make for a liquid meal.
The flasks can sit sealed and unrefrigerated for a year, but once opened, should be consumed within 24 hours. If a bottle is unfinished after a ride, pop it in the fridge and keep it there until the next ride. When you empty the bottle, save it for reuse with the First Endurance EFS Liquid Shot 32-Ounce Bulk Container (with 30 ounces of Liquid Shot). The flavor is Vanilla.
