Perpetuem

Perpetuem or Sustained Energy – which one should I use?

Hammer offers two long-distance powdered fuels: Sustained Energy and Perpetuem. You can use either one as your primary or sole fuel source for efforts longer than 2 hours. Which one you choose (or whether you use both) is largely a matter of personal preference, but a few differences may help:

• Energy: a 2-scoop serving of Perpetuem provides 180 kcal, a serving of Sustained Energy 200 kcal.
• Composition: Sustained Energy contains complex carbohydrates and soy protein in a ratio of about 7:1, with no fat. Perpetuem has a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio of about 8:1 and also contains 2 g of fat per serving (soy lecithin). In our experience, the fat also acts as a natural preservative, may help you make use of your fat stores, and slightly slows digestion, which reduces hunger.
• Sodium phosphate: found only in Perpetuem; as an acid buffer, it helps neutralise the acids produced during exercise. Both products contain L-carnosine.
• Flavour: Sustained Energy is unflavoured, while Perpetuem comes in 4 flavours (Caffe Latte, Chocolate, Orange, Strawberry; Caffe Latte contains 30 mg of caffeine per serving).

Experience shows: at higher intensities (about 70–85% of your maximum heart rate), Sustained Energy may be ideal, while Perpetuem suits longer efforts in the aerobic zone (below about 70% of your maximum heart rate). Very lean athletes often do better with Sustained Energy, while those with a higher body fat percentage tend to prefer Perpetuem.

Bottom line: try both in long workouts under different conditions – that's how you'll find out which one works best for you. You can also combine them.

Why use a multi-hour bottle of Perpetuem, and how do I make one?

Many athletes love Perpetuem but don't like drinking large amounts of a flavoured drink for hours on end. The solution is a more concentrated bottle that lasts several hours.

How much per hour? One scoop of Perpetuem provides 90 kcal. Lighter athletes usually do well with 1–1.25 scoops per hour (90–113 kcal), mid-weight athletes with 1.5–2 scoops (135–180 kcal), and athletes around 90 kg with up to 2.25 scoops (about 203 kcal).

Preparation: fill your bottle about a third of the way with water, add part of the powder, close it and shake well. Repeat until all the powder (for example 9 scoops for 4 hours) is mixed in. Your bottle now holds 4 hours' worth of fuel.

Advantages:

• You only need to drink a quarter of the bottle each hour; you get your fluids from plain water in another bottle or a hydration pack. For many athletes, plain water quenches thirst better, and the next sip of Perpetuem tastes better afterwards too.
• You don't have to stop every hour to mix a new serving.

Tip: use a permanent marker to mark 4 equal sections on your bottle, so you can see how much to drink each hour.

When should I use HEED, and when Perpetuem?

HEED is a “carbohydrate-only” sports drink, ideal for workouts and races of about 2–3 hours. Perpetuem contains carbohydrate, protein and healthy fat, so it is designed for longer efforts.

During long efforts, your body covers about 10–15% of its energy needs from protein (amino acids). If you don't supply it, your body breaks down its own muscle tissue: this produces more ammonia, one of the main causes of fatigue, and your recovery takes longer. The small amount of fat in Perpetuem also helps your body make better use of its own fat stores.

In short: HEED for up to 2–3 hours, Perpetuem for anything longer (HEED is then a good supplementary fuel for a change of flavour).

Why did the serving size change?

The original 270 kcal serving was too large and encouraged many athletes to overconsume calories – the exact opposite of what Hammer stands for: less is often more. Almost all of the earlier complaints came from people taking in too many calories per hour. About 180 kcal per hour is close to what works for most athletes; some need less, others a little more. Start with one serving per hour and adjust up or down from there.

If you prefer the old serving size: one scoop provides 90 kcal, so 3 scoops = 270 kcal.

How long does mixed Perpetuem keep?

In moderate temperatures, a mixed bottle of Perpetuem or Sustained Energy keeps for about 5 hours, possibly a little longer. In warm weather this time is shorter – in extreme heat it may be as little as 2 hours. If you freeze the mixed bottle the night before, it stays cold longer and keeps longer.

How should I prepare Perpetuem for a race in hot weather?

• Mild or warm weather: prepare your multi-hour bottles the night before and freeze them. In a long-distance triathlon, both can go on the bike (or one at an aid station); in an ultra run, carry one and leave the other in a small cooler bag at an aid station.
• Hot weather: simply freeze the first bottle. Before freezing the second one, wrap a wet towel or cloth around it and secure it with a rubber band – the frozen cloth adds extra insulation. Put this bottle at a later aid station or in your special needs bag.
• Very hot weather: carry the first, frozen bottle with you. The second contains only the powder: at the aid station, add cold water and mix. The short stop is worth it, because you'll have a fresh, cold drink for the hours ahead.

Can I mix Perpetuem in advance and keep it in the fridge?

Yes. For best results, use a pre-mixed bottle kept in the fridge within 48 hours. You can also freeze it – there's no time limit on a frozen mix.

Small crystals may sometimes form around the top of the bottle. These are caused by L-carnitine, which binds water strongly. The crystallisation is harmless and the product is still fine to consume – at most, the effectiveness of the L-carnitine may be slightly reduced.

How much is one scoop of Perpetuem if I don't have the scoop to hand?

1 level scoop of Perpetuem (39 cm³) = 2 tablespoons + 1¾ teaspoons. One serving is 2 scoops (46 g), which equals the contents of one single-serving packet.

The scoop for the old Classic Perpetuem was 60 cm³ (4 tablespoons + ½ teaspoon) – don't use it to measure the current Perpetuem.

What's the difference between Perpetuem and Perpetuem Solids?

Perpetuem Solids are chewable tablets based on the formula of Classic Perpetuem powder (made with corn maltodextrin). 3 tablets provide 100 kcal, 10 kcal more than 1 scoop of Perpetuem powder.

Solids can be your only fuel source, but most athletes use them as a supplement: something to chew on during long efforts instead of sweets or harder-to-digest solid food. For most athletes, a total of 150–180 kcal per hour is ideal, and Solids give you one more way to get there.

Can I use Perpetuem and HEED in a hydration pack (bladder)?

You can use both, but Perpetuem is thicker because of its complex carbohydrates, protein and fat, so it is more likely to clog the tube. HEED contains only carbohydrates and electrolytes, no protein or fat, so it mixes more easily and flows from a hydration pack without any problems.

How long does Perpetuem keep once opened?

The “Best by” date on the packaging is calculated from the date of manufacture and still applies after opening. In our experience, if you store the container away from direct sunlight, moisture and excessive heat, Perpetuem keeps its full value for 3 years or even longer.

Does Perpetuem contain caffeine?

Only the Caffe Latte flavour: it contains 30 mg of caffeine from coffee powder per serving (2 scoops), i.e. 15 mg per scoop. The Chocolate, Orange and Strawberry flavours are caffeine-free.

Can teenagers use Perpetuem?

In our view, yes: Perpetuem is also a good choice for teenage athletes in long workouts and races. It's a “food in a bottle” fuel: it contains complex carbohydrates, protein and a small amount of fat, so it covers their energy needs and reduces hunger without a heavy meal slowing them down.

For young athletes, we recommend the caffeine-free flavours (Chocolate, Orange, Strawberry), and the amount should be adjusted to body weight and the intensity of the effort.

Can I use Recoverite during a long workout or race?

We don't recommend it, for two reasons:

1) Recoverite's 3:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio isn't harmful, but it isn't ideal during exercise. While you're exercising, only a small part (about 8–12%) of your body's energy needs should come from protein, so a ratio of around 7:1 or 8:1 is ideal. That's exactly the ratio in Perpetuem and Sustained Energy.

2) The main reason is the added L-glutamine. Glutamine is a very beneficial amino acid, but when it is first metabolised it produces some ammonia. After exercise this isn't a problem, but during exercise your body is already producing ammonia, which is one of the main causes of fatigue, and you don't want to add to it. After about 3 hours, glutamine actually helps neutralise ammonia, but during exercise you don't have that much time.

For best results, use Perpetuem or Sustained Energy during exercise and save Recoverite for afterwards.

Why does Hammer use maltodextrin instead of sugar?

Here are the benefits of maltodextrin, along with information about its effect on insulin during and after exercise.

The benefits of maltodextrin

1. You can digest more calories from maltodextrin than from short-chain, so-called simple sugars (glucose, sucrose, fructose). As one nutritional scientist puts it, maltodextrin lets you take in more energy in less volume. Simple sugars can only be digested efficiently in weak, low-calorie solutions, so you can't get enough energy from them. But if you make a “double-strength” mix, the overly concentrated sugar solution sits in your stomach for a long time and can cause serious stomach distress. You won't have that issue with maltodextrin.
2. Maltodextrin provides fast-acting energy because it's a high-glycaemic carbohydrate – its glycaemic index is the same as glucose. At the same time, because it is made up of many weakly bonded sugar units, it provides more consistent, longer-lasting energy than glucose or other simple sugars, without the “peak and crash” typical of simple sugars.

Because of the high glycaemic index, many people ask about insulin. Maltodextrin does raise blood sugar quickly and triggers an insulin response. Immediately before and during exercise, however, this is not an issue. As Dr. Bill Misner explains, during exercise the hormones of the sympathetic nervous system inhibit insulin release, and exercise itself increases the muscles' uptake of the glucose you take in. So insulin is not a significant factor during exercise.

After exercise, when your body needs to restock its energy stores, a high glycaemic index is also an advantage. That's exactly the purpose of Recoverite and Vegan Recoverite.

These are the only three times – immediately before exercise, during exercise and shortly afterwards – when it makes sense to consume a high-glycaemic carbohydrate such as maltodextrin.

Is the sodium phosphate in Perpetuem and Race Day Boost safe?

Yes. Sodium phosphate (trisodium phosphate) is classified by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), among other things as an emulsifier, a nutrient and a dietary supplement ingredient. Perpetuem and Race Day Boost contain it in relatively small amounts.

For comparison: its acute toxicity (LD50) in rats is 7,400 mg/kg body weight, which for a 75 kg person would work out at about 555 g – a more favourable value than that of table salt (3,000 mg/kg) or baking soda (4,220 mg/kg).

Is the soy protein in Perpetuem non-GMO?

Yes, the soy protein used in Perpetuem is non-GMO.

Where does the iron in Perpetuem come from?

The 1 mg of iron per serving (2 scoops) comes naturally from the soy protein and soy lecithin. No iron is added.

How can I avoid clumping when mixing?

First fill your bottle about a third of the way with water, and only then add the powder – if you pour water onto the dry powder, it clumps easily. Close it and shake well. Then add a little more water, shake again, and repeat until the bottle is full. This is especially important for more concentrated bottles mixed to last several hours.