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Nocco is best described as a carbonated caffeine drink and boy, does it taste good. The Caribbean flavour is much like a piña colada, minus the rum and the buckets of sugar (it contains a big fat 0g of the sweet stuff). Instead, you get 180mg of caffeine to fire up your session, along with 3000mg of BCAAs and 50% of your daily vitamin B6 and B12 intake.

A few panellists thought the fizzy consistency would be difficult to gulp mid-workout, but they would happily drink it en route to the gym. For those looking to avoid any jitters, there’s a caffeine-free version, plus a host of fun flavours to try including mango, melba and summer strawberry.

If you’re partial to a Red Bull, you’ll love this fruity apricot and strawberry version. Our testers couldn’t get enough of its sweet juicy flavour, saying it reminded them of old-school pick ‘n’ mix sweets. Their only gripe was the bubbles – they would have preferred something less fizzy to down mid-session.

Aside from 80mg of caffeine (equivalent to a single espresso shot), it contains sugar, water and taurine, an amino acid that’s linked to reduced muscle fatigue and enhanced energy. It won’t up your carbs like some of the gels listed here, so reach for a can when you’re flagging in the gym as opposed to on a lengthy run or bike ride.

We're also huge fans of the brand's exciting new curuba and elderflower Summer Edition, which is fruity, refreshing and delicious.

As the name suggests, this Protein Works powder is packed with nootropics – so-called smart drugs that aim to enhance cognitive function. It also contains an optimal 2:1 ratio of L-Theanine to caffeine to give you a steady surge of energy without causing a caffeine crash, along with a host of B vitamins including B6, B12 and B9 to combat fatigue and improve attention.

Unlike the other options in this round-up, it comes in powder form – just mix it with cold water in your protein shaker and you’re good to go. It dissolved well, with no powdery residue, and our panel enjoyed the strong cherry flavour, but be warned, it's extremely sweet and tastes a tad artificial.

Popular with elite athletes including Eliud Kipchoge and Sir Mo Farah, this natural gel will drag you over the finish line. Its innovative formula features just six ingredients – essential water, sugars and minerals – with no unnecessary chemicals, and its ratio of fructose to glucose is optimised for efficient absorption.

The texture is thick enough to avoid a mid-race mess, yet instantly dissolves on the tongue, and the neutral flavour is ideal if you find sweet gels overwhelming

For those who prefer to take on solids, Veloforte’s packs of gummy sweets, which provide over 44g of carbs and a small bump of electrolytes to keep you hydrated, are a smart choice.

They have a subtle fruity flavour and melt-in-your-mouth texture (reminding our panel of Turkish Delight), which makes them easy to gobble on the go. Like Maturen, they’re also made with natural ingredients – including fruit juices, beetroot sugar, cinnamon, coconut water and pink Himalayan salt – so they’re ideal for those with GI woes.

Alongside 40g of carbs and 200mg caffeine for a mighty stamina boost, this gel is fortified with nootropic ingredients – including taurine, theanine and citicoline – to help fight mental fatigue midway through a race.

Research into nootropics is still in its infancy, but the gel also boasts a 1:0.8 blend of maltodextrin and fructose to avoid digestive dramas, it tears open easily, and has a smooth consistency, making it a clever choice, regardless.

This all-natural energy gel, made from real fruit juices and plant syrups, provides a respectable 22g of carbs per serving, along with 75mg of natural caffeine from guarana extract, and a healthy dose of electrolytes (110mg of sodium from pink Himalayan salt) to keep you hydrated and supercharge your sessions.

Our testers liked the sour cherry flavour, which wasn’t overwhelming, and found the loose gel-like texture easy to chug during high-intensity exercise.

It also earned praise for its packaging – our testers found it simple to open and its petite size meant it didn’t feel bulky in their pockets. No digestive issues were reported, and everyone confirmed they felt a boost from the caffeine. Tick, tick.