During-effort fuel · gel · reviewed 3 Sep 2026
SiS Beta Fuel + Nootropics Gel 44
The same base 40 g carbohydrate at a 1:0.8 ratio as the plain Beta Fuel Gel, plus 200 mg of caffeine and a nootropic stack (250 mg citicoline, 1 g taurine, 200 mg theanine) -- not a caffeine-only variant, at 67% more per gel ($4.17 vs $2.50).
Score breakdown
Each dimension below is scored 0 to 100 against a fixed scale, not against the rest of the catalog, so adding a product never moves this number. The overall score is the average of the dimensions this product declares data for. How the scales are set →
44/100
Mixed
Absorption rate ?How much carbohydrate an hour the glucose-to-fructose blend can move. Scored from the stated or derived ratio (1:0.8 tops out this scale); an Estimated ratio counts the same as a Stated one here.95
Carb density ?How much fuel one sachet carries. 90 g is the ceiling here, matching the top of the range cited for multi-transportable-carb intake.44
Value (cost/gram) ?Price of one gram of carbohydrate. Not physiological -- a market-based scale from 15 cents/g (0) to 2 cents/g (100).35
Gut comfort ?A proxy, not a taste or tolerance test: shorter ingredient lists score higher, from 15 ingredients (0) to 1 (100). Nobody has actually run these through anyone's gut for this score.0
Cost per gram of carbohydrate
10.4 cents/g
Glucose : fructose
1:0.8
Comparison
6 of 38 gels heldPrices per single sachet at the cheapest box size we track. Best in green, worst in red, across the gels shown.
| Measure | Science in Sport SiS Beta Fuel + Nootropics Gel | Maurten Maurten Gel 100 | Science in Sport SiS Beta Fuel Gel | Precision Fuel & Hydration Precision Fuel PF 30 Gel | NEVERSECOND NEVERSECOND C30 Gel | GU Energy Labs GU Original Energy Gel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall scoreAn average of the various variables measured. | 44 | 47 | 58 | 49 | 42 | 33 |
| CarbohydrateHow much fuel one sachet carries. | 40 g | 25 g | 40 g | 30 g | 30 g | 22 g |
| Glucose : fructoseGoverns how fast you absorb it. More fructose, higher ceiling. | 1 : 0.8 | 1 : 0.8 | 1 : 0.77 | 1 : 0.5 | 1 : 0.5 | ~ 1 : 0.47 |
| SodiumAgainst 400 to 1000 mg an hour typically lost in sweat. | 12 mg | 20 mg | 30 mg | not declared | 200 mg | 60 mg |
| CaffeineA preference, not a quality, so it is not scored. | 200 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| ProvenanceWhether that ratio is read off the panel, computed from it, or inferred. | Stated | Stated | Derived | Stated | Stated | Estimated |
| Price per sachetWhat one costs. Not comparable across sachet sizes. | $4.17 | $3.75 | $2.50 | $3.12 | $3.50 | $2.00 |
| Cost per gramThe only price that compares across sachet sizes. | 10.4 cents | 15 cents | 6.3 cents | 10.4 cents | 11.7 cents | 9.1 cents |
| Sachets for 90 g/hrHow many you open an hour to hold a 90 g/hr target. | 2.3 | 3.6 | 2.3 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.1 |
Verdict
what it does · what it costsWhat it does well
- 40 g of carbohydrate at the same stated 1:0.8 ratio as the standard Beta Fuel Gel, so the fueling math doesn't change if you swap it in.
- 200 mg of caffeine, double Maurten Gel 100 Caf 100's 100 mg, in a single sachet.
- Adds a disclosed nootropic stack (250 mg Cognizin citicoline, 1 g L-taurine, 200 mg L-theanine) not found in any other gel in this catalog.
- Informed Sport tested, same as the rest of the SiS Beta range.
What it costs you
- $4.17 a gel is 67% more than the plain SiS Beta Fuel Gel's $2.50 for the same base carbohydrate.
- 10.4 cents a gram of carbohydrate versus the plain Beta Fuel Gel's 6.3 cents -- the premium buys caffeine and nootropics, not more or better carbohydrate.
- Only 12 mg of sodium, less than the plain Beta Fuel Gel's 30 mg -- a separate sodium source is still necessary.
- This is not a caffeine-only option -- if you don't want the nootropic additions (citicoline, taurine, theanine), there's no plain caffeinated Beta Fuel Gel in the current SiS lineup.
Where to buy
Prices and links as last checked. The price next to the name above is per unit at the cheapest box size we track -- a single-unit price below may run higher.
Who this is for
the numbers, appliedThe field tells you what it is. This is who should act on it.
Worth the money if
- You want a high single dose of caffeine (200 mg) alongside your carbohydrate late in a race.
- You're specifically interested in the nootropic stack, not just caffeine.
Look elsewhere if
- You want caffeine without the added nootropic ingredients; SiS doesn't currently sell that combination as a separate Beta Fuel SKU.
- You want the cheapest way to 40 g of carbohydrate; the plain Beta Fuel Gel is 40% cheaper per gram.