2:1 vs 1:0.8 Glucose Fructose: Which Ratio at Which Intake?
Short answer
Up to about 70 grams of carbs per hour, 2:1 is enough. Between 70 and 90 grams, slightly more fructose already gives extra uptake. Above 90 grams per hour 1:0.8 works better than 2:1, because your gut can then process more fructose. That 1:0.8 also makes you faster has only been shown in one study. Combine 2:1 bars with a drink in 1:0.8 and your total automatically lands in between.
By Lode T Kindt, founder of Eagle Nutrition. Last updated 5 October 2026. All sources checked on 5 October 2026.
Brands now push 1:0.8 as the new standard. Is that right, and for whom? Below you read when the choice between 2:1 and 1:0.8 matters. What 2:1 itself means and why two sugars work better than one is covered in why 2:1 works in sports nutrition.
Jump to: the difference | choice per intake | around 90 grams | 120 grams per hour | what I do | frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 2:1 and 1:0.8?
1:0.8 contains more fructose than 2:1, but less than 1:1. With 2:1 you take 0.5 grams of fructose per gram of glucose. With 1:0.8 that is 0.8 grams. At 90 grams per hour that means:
| Ratio | Glucose | Fructose | Fructose per gram of glucose |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2:1 | 60 g | 30 g | 0.5 |
| 1:0.8 | 50 g | 40 g | 0.8 |
| 1:1 | 45 g | 45 g | 1.0 |
Why more fructose? The glucose channel in your gut is full at around 60 grams per hour. Want to absorb more, the extra has to come through the fructose channel. The higher your intake, the more fructose you need.
Which ratio do you choose at which intake?
You choose the ratio based on your intake per hour, not on the brand. According to the review by Morton and colleagues (Journal of Nutrition, 2026), a step from 0.5 to 0.6 to 1.0 fructose per glucose gives more uptake at intakes of about 70 to 110 grams per hour.
| Intake per hour | Choose | What you gain |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 60 g | Barely matters | Nothing, one sugar is enough |
| 60 to 70 g | 2:1 | Best studied, more than enough |
| 70 to 90 g | 2:1 or in between (1:0.6 to 1:0.8) | Slightly more uptake |
| Above 90 g | 1:0.8 | More uptake, performance gain not proven yet |
How many carbs per hour you need is covered in how many carbs per hour for cycling. Most amateurs sit between 60 and 90 grams.
What happens around 90 grams per hour?
Around 90 grams per hour, 1:0.8 already gave more power than 2:1 in one study. O'Brien and colleagues (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 2013) had 12 cyclists ride for 2 hours and then do 10 sprints. They drank about 90 grams of carbs per hour in three ratios: 0.5 (2:1), 0.8 and 1.25 fructose per glucose.
With 0.8 the riders burned 18% more carbs from their drink than with 2:1. Their average sprint power was 2.9% higher. More fructose than 0.8 did not help: at 1.25 power dropped again.
Rowlands and colleagues (Sports Medicine, 2015) reached the same conclusion in their review of 14 studies: at intakes of 90 to 108 grams per hour, 0.8 gave the most energy and the highest power. It is still a small group of studies, almost only in trained men.
Is 120 grams per hour in 1:0.8 better?
You burn more carbs from your food, but a faster ride has not been shown. Podlogar and colleagues (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2022) had 11 trained riders cycle for 3 hours on 120 grams per hour in 1:0.8 or 90 grams per hour in 2:1.
With 120 grams they burned more carbs from their food. They did not spare their own carb stores any better. There was no performance test in the study. Note: the researchers changed dose and ratio at the same time. So you don't know what made the difference.
My advice: 120 grams per hour is for riders who build up for months and race. When it makes sense is covered in 120 grams of carbs per hour: who is it for.
What I do myself: 2:1 bar plus a smart bottle
My bars deliver 2:1. Going higher? Get the extra fructose from your drink. Your total ratio is the sum of everything you take in that hour.
- 60 grams per hour: 1 bar plus 500 ml sports drink. 2:1 is more than enough.
- 75 to 90 grams per hour: 2 bars plus 500 to 750 ml sports drink in 1:0.8. Your total lands around 1:0.6.
- Above 90 grams per hour: drink and gels in 1:0.8 as the main source, 1 to 2 bars on the side.
I never plan more than 2 bars per hour. The full worked example with bottle and bars is in bar plus bottle: which ratio do you get. My free fuel planner splits your intake over bottle and bars.
Should you switch to 1:0.8 as an amateur?
Not as long as you stay below 70 grams per hour. There, 2:1 gets you everything there is to get. The biggest problem for amateurs is not the ratio, but eating too little.
Want to go to 90 grams or more? Train your gut first. Test a new ratio or a higher intake in training, never on race day. The step-by-step plan is in my 6 week protocol to 90 grams per hour.
2:1 or 1:0.8, in short
Up to 70 grams per hour: 2:1. From 70 to 90 grams: 2:1 or slightly more fructose. Above 90 grams: 1:0.8. The ratio follows your intake, not the hype.
No gel. No brick. Fuel during exercise. Fuel your flight.
Plan your fuel Choose your fuel
Frequently asked questions about 2:1 and 1:0.8 glucose fructose
Is 1:0.8 always better than 2:1?
No. Below 70 grams of carbs per hour, 1:0.8 adds nothing. The benefit only shows at higher intakes, from about 70 to 90 grams per hour, because your glucose channel is then full.
Does 1:0.8 contain more fructose than 1:1?
No, less. With 1:0.8 you take 0.8 grams of fructose per gram of glucose. With 1:1 that is 1 gram. So 1:0.8 sits between 2:1 and 1:1.
Can I combine 2:1 bars with a 1:0.8 sports drink?
Yes, and it works well. Your total ratio is the sum of everything you take in that hour. Two bars in 2:1 plus 500 ml of sports drink in 1:0.8 give about 1:0.6 together. That is within the range Morton and colleagues (2026) call optimal.
Do I need a 1:0.8 product if I never go above 75 grams per hour?
No. Up to about 70 grams per hour, 2:1 gets you everything there is to get. Between 70 and 75 grams the gain from more fructose is small. Put your energy into eating enough during your ride first.
How do I know which ratio is in my sports drink?
Check the ingredient list. Maltodextrin, dextrose and glucose syrup deliver glucose. Fructose delivers fructose. Regular sugar is half glucose, half fructose. If the ratio is not on the label, ask the brand.
What if I get stomach issues at high intakes?
Lower your intake for a while, spread it over the hour and train your gut in the weeks before your race. Take carbs from two sugars instead of one, and test every change in training, never on race day.
Sources
- O'Brien WJ, Stannard SR, Clarke JA, Rowlands DS (2013). Fructose-maltodextrin ratio governs exogenous and other CHO oxidation and performance. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 45(9), 1814-1824. doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31828e12d4
- Rowlands DS, Houltham S, Musa-Veloso K, Brown F, Paulionis L, Bailey D (2015). Fructose-Glucose Composite Carbohydrates and Endurance Performance: Critical Review and Future Perspectives. Sports Medicine, 45(11), 1561-1576. doi:10.1007/s40279-015-0381-0
- Podlogar T, Bokal Š, Cirnski S, Wallis GA (2022). Increased exogenous but unaltered endogenous carbohydrate oxidation with combined fructose-maltodextrin ingested at 120 g h-1 versus 90 g h-1 at different ratios. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 122(11), 2393-2401. doi:10.1007/s00421-022-05019-w
- Morton JP, Fell JM, Gonzalez JT, Hearris MA, Podlogar T, Pugh JN, Wallis GA (2026). From Metabolism to Medals: Contemporary Perspectives and Revisiting Carbohydrate Guidelines for Fueling Endurance Athletes during Exercise. The Journal of Nutrition, 156(5), 101442. doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101442
