# Beyond the second hour: energy, amino acids and fat metabolism in long-distance sport

> Past two hours of effort the body starts consuming its own substance. What research shows about protein during exercise and fat oxidation - and how WOO® Ultra Endurance Orange is set up.

From the second hour onwards the task changes. The problem is no longer "deliver enough energy" but "stop the body from consuming itself". Anyone doing long distance knows the point where a pure carbohydrate drink stops being sufficient.

## What happens in the body after two hours

Romijn and colleagues (1993) showed how substrate use shifts with duration and intensity: the longer the effort, the greater the share of fat oxidation in energy provision - provided intensity allows it. At the same time glycogen stores fall and the body increasingly draws on amino acids from muscle for energy. Add mechanical load: the concentration of muscle enzymes in blood rises measurably with duration. In a marathon or a six-hour ride, three things therefore matter at once - energy, fluid and protection of substance.

## Protein during exercise

Saunders and colleagues (2004) compared a carbohydrate drink with a carbohydrate-protein drink in cyclists: time to exhaustion increased, and post-exercise creatine kinase values - a marker of muscle damage - were lower. Betts and Williams (2010) placed the evidence in context: the benefit of additional amino acids shows up mainly in long efforts and when carbohydrate intake is not already maximal. For sessions under 90 minutes, protein in the bottle is dispensable. Beyond two hours the calculation changes. Protein **contributes to the maintenance and growth of muscle mass**.

## Why monosaccharides and fat work together

Fructose, galactose and D-ribose are simple sugars with different absorption routes - fructose via GLUT5, galactose through its own hepatic pathway. This spread reduces the pressure on any single transporter. Coconut fat powder adds medium-chain triglycerides, which reach the liver directly via the portal vein and are therefore available faster than long-chain fats. **L-carnitine** is biochemically the shuttle that transports long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria - the step without which fat cannot be burned. In very long efforts, where fat supplies a relevant share of energy, that route is the actual engine.

## How WOO® Ultra Endurance Orange is set up

**[WOO® Ultra Endurance Orange](/en/shop/woo-ultra-endurance-orange-box)** is built explicitly for efforts beyond two hours. One sachet holds 50 g, is dissolved in 750 ml of water and supplies 195 kcal, 32 g carbohydrates, 7.3 g protein and 4.1 g fat. The protein side consists of free amino acids: a BCAA complex with L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine plus all eight essential amino acids, along with L-carnitine and sea salt. The box holds twelve sachets - in practice a complete race preparation: eight to ten for the long training sessions in which you test tolerance, and two to three for race day itself. The orange flavour is the classic race choice: bold enough to still register after four hours, familiar enough not to surprise you in the finish area. WOO® Ultra Endurance is lactose- and gluten-free.

## Frequently asked questions

**From when is a protein-containing sports drink worth it?**
From roughly two hours of exercise duration. Below that a pure carbohydrate drink is enough; above it, the data speak for additional amino acids.

**Do I have to test the mix in training?**
Yes, absolutely. Gastric tolerance is individual and trainable. That is exactly why twelve sachets make sense: race day should be the repetition, not the experiment.

**What is the difference from a classic energy drink?**
A classic sports drink supplies carbohydrates and electrolytes. WOO® Ultra Endurance Orange adds amino acids and MCT fat - relevant only once the effort lasts long enough for the body to draw on its own substance.

## Sources

Romijn JA et al. (1993), American Journal of Physiology - Regulation of endogenous fat and carbohydrate metabolism in relation to exercise intensity and duration.
Saunders MJ, Kane MD, Todd MK (2004), Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise - Effects of a carbohydrate-protein beverage on cycling endurance and muscle damage.
Betts JA, Williams C (2010), Sports Medicine - Short-term recovery from prolonged exercise: exploring the potential for protein ingestion.
Longo N et al. (2016), Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Carnitine transport and fatty acid oxidation.

*WOO® Ultra Endurance Orange Box in the NEMAPO shop.*