I’m a sweaty bugger when riding, and I seem to end up dehydrated after rides however much water I drink. I’ve been looking at the magic powders you put in your beverage to combat this (SIS, PSP etc) but I have no idea where to start.

Can the mighty hive mind point me in the right direction?

Whether or not you need them is open for debate. Personally I don’t use them (anymore, but did). They gave me a bad stomach but interestingly diarolyte has always been great when I eel ill.

Of the ones I tried I preferred nuun and high five zero. I assume you are looking for the ones with zero calories?

If you are looking for ones with calories then torq all the way after trying most big brands.

Honestly I’m not really sure what I’m looking for, the descriptions mean little or nothing to me! I’m not after extra energy or anything like that, just something to keep me hydrated – I believe electrolyte replacement is the thing?

Will have a look at Nuun and Hig 5 Zero, cheers!

Electrolyte stuff is more just about keeping your salt levels up after you loose it in sweat (to reduce cramping, although that’s still debatable), it won’t help you stay more hydrated though, you just need to drink more…

So is all the guff about Nuun etc helping to absorb more water into your system essentially just guff?

FMC – I suffer in the same way – doesn’t matter how much I drink, it doesn’t seem to hydrate me.

I think this might be because I don’t drink enough (non-caffine related) liquids during ‘normal life’.

I’ve just started adding a half-spoonful of salt to a litre of strongly-mixed squash. It seems to be working for me – for a 2-hour ride I’ll try and drink about a litre in the half-hour before starting the ride and then have a litre when riding. As long as I keep consuption at around a litre per hour then I’m fine.

Hope this helps.

Ben

So is all the guff about Nuun etc helping to absorb more water into your system essentially just guff?

Compared to drinking plain water then no, it’s not. Water passes through the gut quite quickly meaning a lot of it doesn’t get absorbed. Anything to change this will help.

Also Google hyponatremia for why you need to keep your salt intake up.

Here’s an article you may find interesting about racing in the heat that explains some of the reasons for the existence of electrolyte tablets.

I would also recommend High5 zero tabs if you’re looking for something more hydrating than water.
But after some top secret advice from a roadie one time, I’m impartial to slipping a sachet of Diarrhoalite(sp.) into my juice if racing on a super hot day. AFAIK it’s gonna do the same thing as some more expensive electrolyte based substance. Most sports drinks come from some sort of medicine based product anyway.

i would recommend trying some high5 or nuun. I use high5 and it helps to reduce the likelyhood of exercise headaches for me. If you want some sugar in them just put a spoon of sugar or some orange squash in. They aren’t the best tasting things but you soon get used to them. I would recommend trying them first just sipping along with another drink your used to. When i first used used them i found it messed my stomach up once or twice whilst jogging.

I use the high5 zero tablets, less faff than carrying arround a bottle of squash to fill up water bottles halfway round.

If I’m using the camelpack I’ve taken to only part filling it with water at a rate I reckon i need it, so if it’s going to be 2 hours in the heat then lunch then another 2 hours I put 1500ml in the morning and 2 tabs, then refill the same in the afternoon. Just using 3l of water and I tend to drink it all and piss it out again at lunchtime, followed by cramping all afternoon. That and a 3kg pack weighs a fair bit on the first climb!

I used to suffer terribly from dehydrations, headaches, cramps.

Been using High 5 zeros for last couple of years and its made a massive difference.

Also Im fairly intolerant of energy drink type stuff, but have had no side effects from Zeros.

Did a 6 hour race on Sat in 28deg heat. Was hyrdated the whole time. As per one of the posts above. Just took a tube with me and added to fresh water as I went at the various refill stations.

Nuun for me.

As above Nuun or High5 zero here, tend to alternate purely because I can be a fussy bugger and like to alternate flavours, (not a fan of cordials, find them too sweet)

High 5 Zero for me, or Elete Water when racing (added to High 5 Source) – when I want energy.

High 5 Zero Tabs for me – have found they make a big difference when compared to just water or water+squash.
Even on shorter rides (<2hours) I’ll feel better afterwards…

I also use High 5 2:1 energy drinks on a longer ride…

I use either nuun or High5.

TBH, one of the keys to not suffering too much from mild dehydration is to ensure that you go into your exercise well hydrated. For me, this usually takes a couple of days of good drinking habits before a ride.

And then plenty of liquid on the ride and afterwards.

Cool, cheers all – will give Nuun / High5 a crack, and have a look at my drinking habits too. I only really drink water or fruit juice anyway, so I do tend to be generally quite well hydrated.

Used High 5 Zero tablets during and after the Edinburgh Marathon yesterday as I was cacking myself at the thought of cramping while running so far in that heat. No cramp at all, well impressed.

Slight thread hijack but,

Lots of love for the electrolyte solutions. When would you use the carb-based stuff like SIS instead?

I found on the TP that to avoid cramps etc from proper sweat loss the best thing to do was take dioralyte (well boots own equivalent) at feed stations.

These are great, even worked for hangover induced sun stroke yesterday

When would you use the carb-based stuff like SIS instead?

Longer rides. I’m only doing up to 2 hours these days, so no need for extra carbs (unless riding hard, then 30g per bottle).

When I was fit, I only took my energy from drinks – never bothered to eat on rides under 4 hours. But I’m unfit now, so get hungry quicker.