Homemade Sports Drink Powder Mix Calculator
A homemade endurance sports drink uses maltodextrin and fructose at 60 to 90g carbs per hour, 500 to 1,000mg sodium from sodium citrate, and a 6 to 8% concentration to stay isotonic. It is the same active formula as Maurten 320, SiS Beta Fuel, Tailwind, and Skratch, at about $0.40 per bottle versus $3 to $5 commercial.
Answer three questions for your exact gram-by-gram recipe, an osmolarity check, and a six-week gut-training progression. Same dry-powder workflow as any tub of Gatorade, Tailwind, or Skratch.
EB says
2:1
maltodextrin : fructose
Step 1: Enter your details
Answer a few questions for your exact gram-by-gram bottle recipe.
What are you fueling for?
Gut sensitivity (be honest)
Carb profile
Different carbs digest at different speeds. Stick with Standard Fast unless you have a specific reason to upgrade.
Customize your recipe
Bottle size
Flavor profile
Sweet
Savory
Founder signature
Nitrate booster
Advanced settings
Your recipe live-updates below as you adjust any selection above.
Step 2: Your Sports Drink Recipe
Marathon / gran fondo · Average · Standard Fast
Carbs / hour
75g
1:0.8
Sodium / hour
700mg
Sodium citrate
Fluid / bottle
591ml
20oz
Annual savings
$4,188/yr
vs Maurten Gel 100
75g
Maltodextrin + Fructose · 1:0.8 · 75g/hr
Above plasma concentration. Will pull water into your gut and cause sloshing or cramping. Drop carbs or bump bottle size to move toward the isotonic zone.
💧 Flavor
No added flavor. The carb mix has a mild sweetness on its own. Add 0.5g citric acid powder if you want a small tart kick.
Recipe (per bottle)
- Full ingredient list (steps 3 to 5)
- Printable bottle label (3x1 inch)
- Race day logistics calculator
- 6-week gut training progression
- Batch shopping guide
Cost vs commercial (8 hrs/week)
DIY / hour
$0.43
bulk ingredients
Maurten Gel 100 / hr
$10.50
same carb dose
Annual DIY
$180
416hrs
Annual savings
$4,188
96% cheaper
How your mix compares
| Brand | Carbs/hr | Carb sources | Sodium | $/hr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your mix | 75g | Maltodextrin + Fructose | 700mg | $0.43 |
| Maurten 320 | 80g | Glucose + Fructose | 500mg | ~$5.60 |
| SiS Beta Fuel | 80g | Maltodextrin + Fructose | 600mg | ~$4.00 |
| Tailwind | 50g | Sucrose + Dextrose | 303mg | ~$2.50 |
| Skratch Sport | 40g | Sucrose + Dextrose | 380mg | ~$1.50 |
Commercial figures are approximate and change frequently.
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Gear up
Ingredients athletes actually buy
Source these once and you have months of race fuel. Always test your mix in training before race day.
- Endurance360 CompleteRather not mix your own? A complete carb plus electrolyte race fuel, pre-balanced for the dual-transporter ratio.Shop Endurance360 →
- Maltodextrin (5 lb bag)Your primary carb source. About $0.004/g vs $0.14/g for commercial gels.View on Amazon →
- Fructose (1 lb bag)The dual-transporter partner that unlocks 75g+ per hour.View on Amazon →
- Cluster dextrin (HBCD)Lowest-osmolarity carb. The upgrade for sensitive guts at high intake.View on Amazon →
- Sodium citrate powderSmooth, non-salty sodium. The ingredient in every premium race drink.View on Amazon →
- 0.1g digital kitchen scaleEssential for precise sodium and caffeine dosing.View on Amazon →
- Soft flask or cycling bottlePre-mix your dry powder and fill at the start line.View on Amazon →
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How much should the bottle hold?
Carbs Per Hour Calculator
Get your in-race carbohydrate target in grams per hour first, then size this recipe to match it.
Need electrolytes without carbs?
Homemade Electrolyte Drink Calculator
Sodium, potassium, and magnesium recipe for training hydration, keto, or everyday use.
Homemade sports drink FAQ
What is the best homemade sports drink for endurance athletes?
The most evidence-backed homemade sports drink is maltodextrin plus fructose in a roughly 1:0.8 ratio when targeting 75g or more of carbs per hour, with 600 to 900mg sodium from sodium citrate. This matches the dual-transporter model used by Maurten 320 and SiS Beta Fuel: maltodextrin absorbs via SGLT1, fructose via GLUT5, so both move at once. Keep total concentration in the 6 to 8% range to stay isotonic.
How much cheaper is a homemade sports drink than Maurten?
At 75g carbs per hour using bulk maltodextrin ($0.004/g) and fructose ($0.008/g), your fuel costs about $0.43 per hour. Maurten Gel 100 delivers 25g carbs at $3.50 per gel, so 75g costs $10.50 per hour. Training 8 hours per week, a homemade mix saves roughly $4,000 per year at the same carbohydrate dose.
Why do you use both maltodextrin and fructose?
Your gut absorbs maltodextrin (via SGLT1) and fructose (via GLUT5) through separate intestinal transporters. Using both lets you absorb 75 to 90g of carbohydrate per hour instead of the roughly 60g per hour ceiling for any single source. The 1:0.8 ratio is the sweet spot from Jeukendrup's research and is what SiS Beta Fuel uses commercially.
How much sodium should I put in a homemade sports drink?
For most athletes, 600 to 900mg sodium per hour is appropriate. Salty sweaters and hot-weather efforts can push past 1,000mg. The calculator defaults to 700mg/hr. Sodium citrate is preferred over table salt because it delivers sodium without the salty taste and has a mild buffering effect, which is exactly why every premium race drink uses it.
What does the carb concentration percentage mean?
Concentration is grams of carbohydrate divided by milliliters of fluid, as a percent. Under 6% is hypotonic (empties fastest, best in heat), 6 to 8% is isotonic (matches blood plasma, the sweet spot), 8 to 12% is mildly hypertonic (fine for trained guts), and over 12% is hypertonic and risks gut cramping. If you land in the red zone, use a bigger bottle or drop the carb dose.
What bulk ingredients are safe to buy?
Food-grade maltodextrin, fructose, dextrose, sucrose, isomaltulose, cluster dextrin, and sodium citrate from a reputable bulk supplier are identical to what is in commercial products. Look for food-grade or USP labeling and a third-party purity certificate. These are the same molecules Maurten, GU, and SiS use, just without the markup.
Is a homemade sports drink as good as Tailwind or Skratch?
For the carb and sodium that drive performance, yes. Tailwind and Skratch are sucrose-and-dextrose drinks at 40 to 50g carbs per hour for $1.50 to $2.50 per serving. A homemade mix delivers the same or more carbohydrate, lets you dial sodium to your own sweat rate, and costs a fraction. What you trade away is convenience and flavor variety, which the flavor profiles in this tool help close.
Can I make a homemade sports drink that works as well as Gatorade?
Easily, and you can do far better. Gatorade is about 6% sucrose and dextrose with 110mg sodium per 240ml. A homemade dual-transporter mix delivers more carbohydrate per hour, sodium matched to your sweat, and no artificial dyes, for less money. Use the Standard Fast profile for a Gatorade-style drink, then scale the carbs and sodium up for race day.
Maltodextrin vs fructose in sports drinks: why the ratio matters →
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