Concerned about sugar content? Read this:

We understand why seeing “sugar” on a label can make people pause. Fasted uses glucose and fructose — two simple carbohydrates that are also naturally present in fruits like bananas. [1][2]

To be clear, these are still added sugars when used in a formula like ours. The difference is that Fasted is not using white table sugar, which is sucrose. Glucose and fructose are individual simple sugars (a monosaccharide), while sucrose is a two-part sugar (a disaccharide) made from glucose and fructose bonded together. [3]

Why include them at all? Because the goal is not sweetness for sweetness’ sake — it is fast, usable carbohydrate fuel in a training-focused product.

During exercise, your working muscles need energy. Research-backed exercise physiology shows that muscle contractions can increase glucose uptake by muscle cells, including through pathways that do not rely solely on insulin. Exercise can also improve insulin sensitivity during and after activity, meaning the body can use available glucose more effectively in that context. [4][5]

In simple terms: sugar should be judged by amount, source, and context. Fasted includes glucose and fructose intentionally as performance-oriented carbohydrates — not as filler, and not as hidden table sugar.

Source notes for the numbered citations:

[1] USDA Agricultural Research Service notes that bananas contain sugars including fructose, glucose, and sucrose. https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=380269

[2] FDA explains that total sugars include sugars naturally present in fruits, while added sugars are those added during processing/formulation. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-nutrition-facts-label

[3] NCBI/StatPearls identifies glucose and fructose as monosaccharides and sucrose as a disaccharide. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459280/

[4] The American Diabetes Association says muscle contractions during activity allow cells to take up glucose and use it for energy whether insulin is available or not. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/fitness/blood-glucose-and-exercise

[5] ADA also states that exercise can make the body more sensitive to insulin and open an alternate pathway for glucose to enter muscle cells without insulin acting as the intermediary. https://diabetes.org/health-wellness/insulin-resistance