UCAN · Vendor Partner · Nutrition Locker

About the brand

Who UCAN is.

UCAN is the energy company that started with a blood-sugar emergency, not a marketing brief.

The science behind UCAN was created to save a life. A boy named Jonah was born with Glycogen Storage Disease, a rare metabolic disorder that prevents the body from breaking down its own stored energy. To keep his blood sugar from crashing to dangerous levels, Jonah had to be tube-fed every two hours. His family teamed up with a group of food scientists to find a steadier source of energy, and in 2008 that search produced a breakthrough: a patient, precise cooking process that turns a specific strain of non-GMO corn starch into a gentle, slow-digesting carbohydrate. The UCAN Company was formed to manufacture it.

That carbohydrate is LIVSTEADY™ (originally branded SuperStarch). Instead of flooding the bloodstream with sugar for a quick hit, LIVSTEADY releases glucose gradually over several hours. Multiple peer-reviewed clinical trials have shown it helps maintain stable blood sugar, supports greater fat burning during exercise, and avoids the large insulin spikes seen with rapidly digested carbs like maltodextrin and dextrose. It also requires very little water to digest, which is why athletes report none of the gut distress that sugar-based gels are known for.

What began as a medical solution became a performance platform. UCAN now fuels pro and college teams, champions across every major sport, and Olympians and record holders, with a complete range of energy gels, bars, drink mixes, protein powders, and electrolytes. The Edge Energy Gels carry NSF Certified for Sport, the banned-substance standard tested-league athletes need.

Why we stock them

Earned the spot.

Most fuel gives an athlete a sugar spike and then yanks it back out from under them mid-effort, and the high sugar load is what wrecks the gut. UCAN does the opposite: steady energy, stable blood sugar, no crash, no cramping. It's why the Edge pouches keep showing up on pro and college sidelines before long practices and gameday.

The LIVSTEADY™ advantage

Steady glucose is the whole point. Everything else follows from it.

UCAN is built on one idea that matters more to a Sports RD than any flavor or format: keep blood sugar stable. LIVSTEADY is a low-glycemic carbohydrate that releases glucose slowly over hours, so an athlete gets a flat, dependable energy curve instead of the peak-and-collapse that sugar fueling creates. The same property that protects against crashes also protects the gut, because LIVSTEADY needs minimal water to digest and does not pull fluid into the stomach the way concentrated sugar does.

For an athlete with diabetes or any blood-sugar sensitivity, that is not a nice-to-have, it is the reason they can fuel at all. For everyone else, it is the difference between finishing strong and falling off in the fourth quarter.

Why Sports RDs reach for it.

Steady energy, no spike and crash. LIVSTEADY releases glucose gradually, so the athlete holds a level energy curve through a long practice or a full game instead of riding sugar highs and crashing between them.
Stable blood sugar, clinically backed. Multiple peer-reviewed trials show LIVSTEADY keeps blood glucose stable and avoids the insulin spike of fast carbs. That makes UCAN one of the few fuels a dietitian can confidently put in front of an athlete managing diabetes or blood-sugar issues.
Easy on the gut at high carb doses. Because LIVSTEADY needs minimal water to digest, athletes get the GI tolerance that sugar-based gels can't deliver. No cramping, no mid-race stomach blowups.
Edge pouches are sideline-ready. Single-serve Edge gel pouches are built for the bench: grab, tear, fuel, get back out there. No water chaser needed, which is exactly what a practice field or a game sideline calls for.
The powders go anywhere. UCAN's energy and protein powders mix into water, a smoothie, oatmeal, or yogurt, so a dietitian can build steady-energy fueling into a training-table meal, not just a bottle.
Pre-workout primary, post-workout capable. UCAN is used mostly before training and competition to lay down hours of steady fuel, and it doubles as a clean way to replenish carbs in the recovery window.
NSF Certified for Sport where it counts. The Edge Energy Gels carry NSF Certified for Sport, the banned-substance standard tested-league and collegiate compliance staff require.

Where We Stand

UCAN earns its spot on one thing nobody else does as well: keeping blood sugar steady through the power of LIVSTEADY. That is what makes it the rare fuel a Sports RD can hand to a crash-prone endurance athlete and a diabetic athlete with the same confidence, and the reason the Edge pouches end up on practice and gameday sidelines across pro and college sport. Steady energy, easy on the gut, NSF Certified for Sport on the Edge gels. That is why UCAN is in the Locker.

A Note on Certification

UCAN's Edge Energy Gels are NSF Certified for Sport, the banned-substance program tested-league athletes rely on. The bars, energy and protein powders, and hydrate mixes are food products and don't carry, or need, the NSF for Sport mark. Across the line, UCAN is zero sugar, non-GMO, gluten-free, and vegan.

Products in the Locker

What you can shop.

UCAN's steady-energy lineup, organized the way a dietitian uses it: grab-and-go gels for the sideline, versatile powders for the training table, and a protein option for recovery.

UCAN Edge Energy Gels — Original

Sideline · Pre-Workout · Steady Energy

NSF Certified for SportZero SugarNon-GMOGluten-FreeVegan

Form: Single-serve pouch · Per pouch: 19g LIVSTEADY carbs, 70 cal, 0g sugar, no caffeine · Use: 1 gel every 45 min, no water chaser needed

The workhorse of the line and the reason UCAN is a sideline favorite. Each pouch delivers 75+ minutes of steady energy from LIVSTEADY with zero sugar, so there is no spike, no crash, and no gut distress. The pouch format is built for the bench during long practices and gameday: tear and fuel, no bottle required.

Best for: Sideline and bench fueling · pre-practice and pre-game · crash-prone and blood-sugar-sensitive athletes · long training blocks.

UCAN Edge Energy Gels plus Electrolytes box

UCAN Edge Energy Gels + Electrolytes

Hot-Weather · High-Sweat Sessions

NSF Certified for SportZero Sugar+ 5 ElectrolytesNon-GMOGluten-Free

Form: Single-serve pouch · Adds: Five essential electrolytes · Flavors: Lemon Lime, Cherry, Citrus, Strawberry Kiwi

The same steady LIVSTEADY energy with five essential electrolytes built in, for hot conditions, heavy sweaters, and longer efforts where hydration support matters. Steady fuel and electrolytes in one pouch, still with zero sugar and the same easy-on-the-gut profile.

Best for: Hot-weather practice and competition · high-sweat athletes · longer sessions needing electrolyte support.

UCAN Edge Energy Gels plus Caffeine box and pouch

UCAN Edge Energy Gels + Caffeine

Late-Game Lift

NSF Certified for SportZero Sugar+ CaffeineNon-GMOGluten-Free

Form: Single-serve pouch · Adds: Caffeine for a mental and physical lift

Steady LIVSTEADY energy plus a caffeine boost for the back half of a long effort or whenever an athlete wants an added lift. Many endurance athletes pair the original Edge early with the caffeine version later in the event.

Best for: Late-game and late-race lift · early-session wake-up · athletes who want caffeine without sugar.

UCAN Energy Powder (Drink Mix)

Training Table · Versatile Mixer

Zero SugarLIVSTEADYNon-GMOGluten-FreeVegan

Form: Tub and single-serve packets · Flavors: Tropical Orange, Cran Raspberry, Lemon, Chocolate, Unflavored · Mix into: Water, smoothies, oatmeal, yogurt

The most versatile way to put LIVSTEADY into a fueling plan. Mix it into water for a pre-workout drink, blend it into a smoothie, or stir it into oatmeal or yogurt for a steady-energy meal. The unflavored option lets a dietitian add steady carbs to almost anything without changing the taste. Typically taken about 30 to 45 minutes before training.

Best for: Pre-workout fueling · training-table meals · smoothie and oatmeal builds · athletes who prefer a drink over a gel.

UCAN Chocolate Protein plus Energy Powder tub

UCAN Protein + Energy Powder

Recovery · Steady Energy + Protein

Zero SugarLIVSTEADY + ProteinNon-GMOGluten-Free

Form: Tub · Flavors: Chocolate, Vanilla, Cookies & Cream, Cocoa · Mix into: Water, milk, or a smoothie

LIVSTEADY paired with protein for the recovery window and steady-energy meals. Delivers a protein anchor plus slow-release carbs without the sugar load, and mixes cleanly into water, milk, or a smoothie. A clean way to replenish carbs and protein after training.

Best for: Post-workout recovery · steady-energy breakfasts · protein-and-carb top-ups · smoothie base.

UCAN Salted Peanut Butter Energy Bars box

UCAN Energy Bars

Portable · Pre-Workout Snack

Low SugarLIVSTEADYNon-GMOGluten-Free

Form: Bar · Flavors: Salted Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Fudge, Chocolate Fudge

Steady LIVSTEADY energy in a portable bar for athletes who want to chew rather than sip. A solid pre-workout option roughly 30 minutes out that delivers lasting energy without a glucose spike, and an easy stash for a gym bag or locker.

Best for: Pre-workout snack · travel and gym-bag stash · steady energy between meals.

UCAN Lemon Lime Hydrate Electrolyte Powder jar

UCAN Hydrate Electrolyte Powder

Sugar-Free Hydration

Zero SugarElectrolytesNon-GMOGluten-Free

Form: Tub and single-serve packets · Flavors: Lemon Lime, Watermelon, Pineapple · Mix into: Water

Sugar-free electrolyte hydration to pair with UCAN's energy products or run on its own. A clean hydration layer for hot-weather training and high-sweat athletes without the sugar found in many sports drinks.

Best for: Daily and training-day hydration · hot-weather sessions · pairing with Edge gels and powders.

The Locker carries UCAN's steady-energy lineup across gels, powders, bars, and electrolytes. The Edge Energy Gels are NSF Certified for Sport; the bars, powders, and hydrate mixes are food products that don't require the mark.

From the field

Quotes from the pros who use it.

"Every race I did with a simple sugar fueling plan, I had stomach issues. I'd get sick mid-race, feel like I was going to throw up, and sometimes actually did. UCAN solved all of it."

Dakotah PopehnU.S. Olympic Marathon Runner

"I've used UCAN my entire running career. It is the best way to quickly get some slow-burning carbohydrate fuel in during training and sits really well in my stomach."

Sara HallMarathon Champion

"I've had a subscription for these bars for two years and love them. Great 30 minutes or so before a workout and no spike in my glucose."

Richard S.UCAN customer review

UCAN fuels pro and college teams, champions across every major sport, and Olympians and record holders. Athlete quotes above are drawn from UCAN's published testimonials; the customer review is attributed as such. Recommended ask for v2: a named tested-league Sports RD or D1 athletic trainer on the steady-blood-sugar and sideline-fueling use case, and an athlete who manages diabetes with UCAN.

UCAN — the fuel that keeps blood sugar steady.