One of the original long distance fuels, Sustained Energy has attained a legendary status in the world of endurance sports since its introduction in 1992. Tested and proven in virtually every endurance event on the planet, Sustained Energy's unique 7:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio, and it's neutral flavor, is still the first choice of thousands of athletes. After about two hours of exercise you need to have some protein in your fuel or you will start to cannibalize or break down precious muscle tissue. So when your exercise goes beyond the range of Hammer Gel or HEED alone, Sustained Energy is ready to serve you, providing premium fuel complemented with specific nutrients that support enhanced fat utilization and lactic acid buffering.

Give Sustained Energy a try - you'll have 100% confidence in your fuel - and you'll understand why it's been the choice of thousands of endurance athletes for well over a decade. For maximum fueling variety and flexibility during your longest and hardest training sessions and races, mix or alternate Sustained Energy with Hammer Gel, HEED and/or Perpetuem.

320 Calories ; 5 calories from fat ; 0.4 g total fat , 68 g total carbohydrate , 4 g sugars , 10 g protein , 42 mg calcium , 2 mg iron , 220 mg sodium , 50 mg choline bitartrate , 50 mg l-carnitine , 100 mg l-carnosine.

Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup Solids, Soy Protein Isolate, L-Carnosine, Choline Bitartrate, L-Carnitine (as Carnipure™), Chromium Polynicotinate.

Use as a primary source of calories during exercise/competition lasting more than two hours.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to potential spoilage issues, Sustained Energy cannot be premixed and left for several hours in warm weather. Please read the FAQ's below for more detailed information on this important topic.

You can mix and consume Sustained Energy three different ways depending on individual preference and logistical concerns. Please experiment with the following options to determine which works best for you.

The One-Hour Bottle - Mix the suggested amount of Sustained Energy for your bodyweight (see chart below) in a 21-24 ounce (approx 520-710 ml) water bottle. Consume one bottle hourly. This method is ideal when training or racing with a support crew. If you're without a support crew but still want to use this option for mixing, keep in mind that it might be cumbersome as you'll have to stop more frequently to mix your fuel drink. Also, because you are trying to fulfill both hydration and caloric requirements from one source, you have limited your ability to adjust one without affecting the other; you may need to consume additional water to satisfy hydration requirements.

The Multi-Hour Bottle - This is by far the most convenient method of fueling because it allows you to be self-sufficient for many hours, requiring only additional plain water along the way. The only limitation is how many scoops you can fit into a bottle. Determine your proper hourly intake of scoops by experimenting with the numbers from the dosage chart. Let's say you've determined through testing that 2 scoops of Sustained Energy per hour is your ideal caloric intake. For a 4-hour workout, you'll need 8 scoops in a bottle, then filled with water and shaken well. You may need to add a few scoops at a time to get it all to mix well. You then nurse this bottle, taking small sips every 15-20 minutes. At this concentration, the water in the mixed bottle does not contribute to your hourly fluid intake needs. To meet your fluid requirements, carry a second or third bottle of plain water, use a hydration system, or know where you are able to refill along your route. Drink according to the temperature/humidity and your exertion level consuming between 16-28 ounces (approx 475-830 ml) of plain water per hour.* This way, as long as you can obtain water along the way, you're set for hours of hard training.

*Note: Please refer to the article Hydration - What you Need to Know for more detailed information on hydration requirements.

Gel or Paste - If you want to carry the highest volume of calories in the least amount of space, making a thick mix is your best option. Sustained Energy can be made into a super-concentrated, near paste-like consistency and dispensed from a Hammer Gel flask. Using a blender or bowl and spoon, mix scoops of powder with a small amount of water, gradually adding water as necessary to create the consistency desired. If you're using the orange-vanilla flavor of Perpetuem, remember that the heavier and more concentrated you mix it, the sweeter and stronger the flavor will become. You may also add Hammer Gel or HEED to alter the flavor, if desired. Depending on how many scoops per hour you require, and how concentrated the mix is, each flask of Perpetuem can supply you with 2-4 hours of fuel. As with the multi-hour bottle, you must carry additional bottles of plain water or use a hydration system to meet your fluid requirements.

• 0 - 120 lbs (approx 54.5 kg) - up to 1 scoop/hr. This provides 107 calories.
• 120-155 lbs (approx 54.5-70 kg) - 1 to 1.5 scoops/hr. This provides 107 to 160.5 calories.
• 155-190 lbs (approx 70-86 kg) - 2 to 2.5 scoops/hr. This provides approx 214 to 267.5 calories.
• 190+ lbs (86+ kg) - up to 2.75 scoops/hr. This provides approx 294 calories.

*These are estimated doses. Each athlete should determine in training, under a variety of conditions, their personal optimum.

By design, neither Perpetuem nor Sustained Energy contain artificial preservatives. Preservatives provide absolutely no benefits for athletic performance or general health - we consider them health hazards, in fact - which is why we do not include them in either of these products, or any of the Hammer Nutrition fuels.

As a result of this, however, once mixed in solution the protein component in both Perpetuem and Sustained Energy is affected in the following ways:

1. At some point in time it will eventually sour and no longer be acceptable for consumption.
2. It tends to separate after awhile and may settle on the bottom of a bottle or hydration pack bladder.

We believe that not having artificial preservatives in the products is far more important that these two inconveniences; however, they are things that you need to remember when using Perpetuem or Sustained Energy.

With that in mind, here are some questions we frequently receive:

Q: How soon after I make Perpetuem or Sustained Energy do I have to drink it?
A: Ideally, it should be within 3-5 hours, with up to perhaps 6-8 hours (depending on the temperature) being the longest we recommend. Dr. Bill Misner explains:

Energy drink powders containing no preservatives are predisposed to change once set in solution mixtures. Time, temperature, humidity, environmental airborne or endogenous microbes, oxidation factors may cause fatty acids to turn rancid or proteins to sour in the presence of long chain or short chain carbohydrates. A prime example is found in pasteurized milk. Milk typically sours in stages as one type of bacteria is replaced by another. Bacilli convert protein into ammonia products, and the pH rises. The odor or taste of spoiled milk is apparent once this has happened. We have observed this phenomenon in our soy-based products, ed Energy and Perpetuem if the product is mixed prior to an event then not kept cold or consumed within 3-5 hours.

Athletes should be encouraged to keep pre-mixed protein-enhanced or lipid-containing carbohydrate drinks under 59 F or ideally at a cooler 40-45 F in order to keep fermentation of environmental bacteria from proliferating in the drink mixture. Freezing the drink the night before an event may result in keeping the macronutrient contents in tact an inhibiting bacterial growth potential. Once the drink is soured to taste or has become noxious to olfactory sensed odor, then it is advised that the drink not be consumed.

Q: If I mix Perpetuem or Sustained Energy and keep it in the refrigerator, will it break down any of the desired properties?
A: The effectual benefits ("desired properties") are not lost, but the l-carnitine in both products may deteriorate somewhat, forming crystals within the mix since it is very hygroscopic (has an affinity for water). The deterioration, if any, is minimal in 48 hours post-mix, refrigerated. However, for best results we recommend using ed Energy or Perpetuem as soon as possible after mixing.

Q: I'm doing a full iron-distance triathlon, and the weather is going to be hot. I want to use Perpetuem for the bike portion. How do you suggest I mix it so that it doesn't get warm and unpalatable?
A: Let's say that the bike portion will take you six hours. You can make all six hours of fuel in two bottles. For example, if you have found (through testing in training) that two scoops of Perpetuem will provide an hour's fuel, put six scoops in and make a 3-hour bottle, fulfilling your hydration requirements with plain water (approx 20-28 fluid ounces/600-830 milliliters per hour) from another bottle or hydration system. Make two 6-scoop bottles and you've got your six hours worth of fuel taken care of. Mix the bottles the night before the race and freeze them. That will keep them cold and palatable as they thaw during the bike portion of the race. If, however, the weather on race day is going to be very hot, or you don't have a way to keep the bottles cold until the bike leg, then try this method: mix and freeze one bottle as above, but in the other put only the six scoops of Perpetuem, and add no water.When you finish your first 3-hour bottle you will need to stop and take a few moments to add cold water to this second. It just takes a few seconds, but now you have a fresh, cold bottle of fuel for the second half of the bike ride. Using insulated bottles also helps, if you don't mind the slight extra weight. One athlete who completed a hot-weather Ironman Australia used this method and wrote us saying, I did as you recommended - had the second bottle of dry Perpetuem powder in my bike Special Needs bag, and just added cool water. It only took 30 seconds or so and I was underway with a bidon of cold Perpetuem for the second half of the bike. Great suggestion, it works like a treat!