http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/10/fluid-intake-dehydration-and-exercise_26.html?m=1

I’m sure plenty out there believe you should keep hydrated and drink electrolyte sports drinks but I’ve always drunk water to thirst and find that works for me. Also, I’ve found that sports drinks do tend to make me drink more. Something that the above link reinforces.

What does the STW massive think? Do you “hydrate” or drink to thirst?

Interesting,

this..

In fact, a very interesting study was published in 1992 by Robert Cade, the man who invented Gatorade. His experiment took place during a marathon, and the groups of runners were given Gatorade, 1/2 Gatorade (half water, half Gatorade), or water. The really interesting finding was that the water group maintained their sodium concentration (a surrogate for the total osmolality) just fine, while the Gatorade group actually increaesed its concentration. In fact this explains why people drink more of a sports drink compared to water—the sports drinks keep your osmolality higher and therefore makes you thirstier. So instead of lowering osmolality, which is what your body wants you to do, the sports drinks raise it. Seems kind of counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?

Suggests that either that the sports drink used was poorly formulate or the subjects werent fully hydrated/fuelled before hand or the subjects who drank just water fuelled themselves better via other means or the gatorade group failed to do something etc……

The problem with this particular example being used is that it provides NO information on the state before hand or the what they did during & is a snap-shot of what happened..

Its pretty weak TBH, which is part of the problem with this kind of science right now..nobody really knows for sure whats required..

Either way, you will loose some electrolytes during exercise which you are better off trying to replace & retain the correct balance, than not trying at all..

Anyway drinking isnt the only way to fuel yourself during exercise & shouldnt be viewed as being so. Bars & gels (for eg) are very useful too. Example, you arent going to want to drink an awful lot of liquid on a cold moor-land ride & would probably prefer to eat a bar or something. On a hot day its probably different. It is for me.

There is no hard & fast rule for fuelling on the bike, its really upto the individual. Trial & error is the only way to really find out – thats what 15yrs of endurance events has taught me.

Ps Gatorade is crap – I wouldnt use it to clean my chain (& it tastes like p1ss..so Im told!)

On electrolytes IMO there are two issues that get confused. isotonic solutions are absorbed more easily and electrolyte replacement. the first is not very controversial but the second is. How much do you really loose in electrolytes and how good is your body at coping with this? I never take in electrolytes at all beyond what I get in food. Never suffer from the lack of them

The trouble with sports drinks is that they’re so weak compared to the electrolytes etc in your body and although they’re better than water in terms of electrolytes, it is because they make you thirstier and thus drink more that they effectively dilute the ratio of electrolytes to fluid in your body.

Your body has its own ways of increasing electrolytes in your system. For example minerals and salts are stored in your bones and as I understand these can be utilised where necessary.

For me, I put my faith in thousands of years of evolution and listen to my body rather than listening to a few years of “science” and marketing hype.

Never really convinced that studies of athletes or even “normal” marathon runners are all that useful for the general population tbh. I know personally I dehydrate if I only drink to thirst- on a normal/cool day, very badly, I barely drink at all if I leave it to thirst even if sweating like a pig.

As for electrolytes and cramps etc… I cramp less if I take an electrolyte drink, but I can’t call that conclusive, too many other factors involved. I use them anyway for races, because at least that way it feels like I’m doing something about it 😉

So instead of lowering osmolality, which is what your body wants you to do, the sports drinks raise it. Seems kind of counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?

Yes, your body lowers osmolality as you sweat. Does that mean it’s “what your body wants you to do”? You also calcium deplete as you sweat, but your body doesn’t want you to become osteoperotic. Doesn’t mean the article’s necesarily wrong but does make me not take it at face value.

When we ride with the girls the motto is – “if you’re peeing you’re not sweating hard enough”

TandemJeremy – Member
I never take in electrolytes at all beyond what I get in food. Never suffer from the lack of them

1. You don’t compete, am I right?
2. How do you know?