Pushing boundaries - the new Bicarb Gel from MNSTRY

The final kilometers of a 10-kilometer run. The finale of a marathon. Tough track intervals or VO₂ max sessions on the bike. When your body approaches its limits, it's not just your training status that counts – it's how well prepared you are when it really counts. With the new MNSTRY BICARB GEL Lemon 1:0.8, MNSTRY is launching a product developed precisely for this moment. It's designed to help delay the drop in performance – with one of the most researched substances in sports nutrition: sodium bicarbonate.

Words: Lukas Motschmann
Photos: Florian Kurrasch

An old active ingredient, rethought

Sodium bicarbonate has been known in sports science for decades as a performance-enhancing extracellular buffer. Simply put, it helps delay muscle acidification, which occurs during high-intensity exercise due to the accumulation of hydrogen ions. But the classic problem: powders or tablets cause stomach upset for many athletes – and are hardly practical in competition. This is where MNSTRY comes in. The young German company has transformed bicarbonate into an encapsulated, stomach-friendly performance gel that targets the small intestine. The effect remains – the side effects disappear.

What's in the gel?

An old active ingredient, reimagined

MNSTRY BICARB GEL 40 Lemon 1:0.8 combines:

- 5 g sodium and potassium bicarbonate (for effective buffering)

- 40 g carbohydrates in an optimal 1:0.8 glucose-fructose ratio

- Only natural ingredients – no fillers, no artificial additives, no speculation

It can be combined with other products in the series and is suitable for activities where a carbohydrate intake of up to 120 g per hour is desired – such as marathons, long ultras, or intense track races.

MNSTRY's recommended intake:

The recommended dosage of bicarbonate is 0.2–0.3 g per kilogram of body weight. One capsule contains 1.0 g of bicarbonate. The optimal individual dose can be calculated based on your own body weight. The total dose should ideally be taken in two phases: 60% of the amount about three hours before exercise and the remaining 40% one hour before. We recommend consuming the first dose with your last meal, while the second dose is best taken with water or one of our drink mixes to improve tolerability.

Example:

Athlete's weight: 72 kg

Race start: 8 p.m.

Distance: Ultra run (e.g., 100 km)

5 p.m.: 11 g (60%) bicarb = 11 capsules / take with the last proper meal

7 p.m.: 7 g (40%) bicarb = 7 capsules / take with a small snack

During the race: Use BICARB GEL strategically before big climbs and/or crucial moments.

Calculation: 0.25 x 72 = 18 g bicarbonate / 18 capsules

For the second dose, you could replace some of the capsules with BICARB GEL. One gel contains 5 g of bicarbonate, i.e.: 2 capsules + 1 BICARB GEL

The GEL contains 40 g of carbohydrates, which should be taken into account in your fueling strategy.

Important note on taste: BICARB GEL differs significantly from classic GEL 40 products in this respect. A tart lemon flavor from natural lemon oil “meets” the salty note of bicarbonate.

Real science instead of marketing platitudes

MNSTRY stands for a new, honest approach to sports nutrition: "Sports Nutrition, Designed Differently" – scientifically sound, developed together with elite athletes, free from artificial additives and unnecessary trends. Every ingredient is tested for effectiveness. The formulations are precise, functional, and tailored to the real needs of endurance athletes. The energy comes from real fruit, the composition is based on clinical evidence. Real Fuel – real results.

Not just theory – also arrived in pro sports

MNSTRY products are no longer just an insider tip. Several pros are already using the products, including Amanal Petros and Laura Philipp, the reigning Ironman World Champion. And since the Tour de France just took place, the World Tour team BORA–hansgrohe relies on the products and expertise of the MNSTRY Nutrition Team to optimally nourish its riders – especially during stages with high anaerobic load or in hot weather and long distances.

In addition, athletes like Norwegian road runner Victor Smangs report that BICARB GEL has now become an integral part of their race preparation: "I was able to maintain a high pace without tiring as quickly. Since then, I've used it before all my road races this summer. It has become an important part of my preparation."

Conclusion: A product for athletes who push themselves to their limits

The MNSTRY BICARB GEL is a strategic tool for those crucial minutes when it's all about maintaining your pace, despite lactate levels and fatigue. For track, road, triathlon, cycling, or trail running: Anyone looking to get the most out of themselves will find a well-thought-out product here – developed with intelligence and already successfully tested in practice.

For anyone interested: You can buy the new BICARB GEL here . With "BICARB20MAS" you also save 20% on your order until August 25th. This does not apply to the new ELECTROLYTE SHOTS, but they are worth to be checked out as well.