[Closed] Electrolyte-every ride?

salt+juice/squash and water

Electrolyte are more than just the the sodium based salts found in table salts. Sodium, magnesium and potassium based salts. Potassium-> bananas, magnesium-> cashews, sodium loads of stuff is laden with it.

I always use electrolytes when racing, and then on longer rides or on hot days. Not sure how much difference it really makes but it makes me feel like I'm less tired / faster (although I suspect its all in my head!)

salt+juice/squash and water plus a spoon of sugar, one bottle on my daily commute, 32 miles in total, vast improvement to just water, or it could be placebo effect.

Don't bother with anything but water unless it's 3hrs+ generally. Then use High 5, and add Elete for racing. If you're getting dehydrated, or struggling with cramp, or feel better if you use supplements then do it! It's not gonna do you any harm, just cost you more!

I never bother unless it's really hot or I'm out for 5hrs+

I use Nuun on most rides as I find water just sits on my stomach.

Kuco - Member

I use Nuun on most rides as I find water just sits on my stomach.

Water or squash for less than about an hour and a half, High 5 Zero tabs over that, might use a carb drink for 5 hour plus rides.

But I'm pretty sure the advantage is in my head, and the manufacturers bank balance.

Depends if you get cramp a lot. I get it bad and electrolytes can help.

Some of the energy and electrolyte drinks do have a really dramatic effect - SIS Go. Start a ride on a Sunday with a hang over and this stuff really sorts you out - re-hydrates and clears yer head. Without a hangover it gives loads more power and better riding concentration, if you know what I mean. Probably rots yer teeth though....

LOL not far of the truth 😉

Oh yeah - NUUNs are waay expensive and I really don't think they do a whole lot of good.

lucozade tablets!! [url= http://www.lucozadeshop.com/body-fuel-energy-tablets/03626.html ]http://www.lucozadeshop.com/body-fuel-energy-tablets/03626.html[/url]

always worked for me!! i think there in boots for 50-60p.

Well, NUUN's the one that works for me. I've tried the Lucozade and Zero's and didn't get on with those.

Anything over 2 hours and I'll have a Nuun. Can't really understand people saying that they 'don't work' when it's a scientific fact that they do work.

I think the issue is not so much if they work, but if they offer any tangible benefit compared to the alternatives.

It's a bit like saying eating XYZ will reduce your chance of dying of a certain cancer by 10%. But if the odds of dying from that cancer are say 1 in 100,000 you really haven't gained much of a life enhancement.

Personally I haven't had a 'Wow!' moment using Nuun (apart from theie price), than any of the other stuff I've tried in my camelback.

I've started using High5 Zero tabs on every ride after suffering with cramp in the past. I've not had cramp since.

What I mean by works is it didn't want to make me throw up like the Lucozade or give me frothy burps like the zero.

I use Elete occasionally, depending on temperature/ride length.

It does make a difference. On a given long, hot ride where water would leave me with cramps and a dehydration headache, Elete leaves me with neither of those.

I imagine any of the electrolyte products would work just as well, but I use Elete cos it tastes neutral, doesn't gunk up the camelbak, and I can manage the calories seperately.

Is Lo-Salt a better alternative to salt & juice?

Two thirds KCl, one third NaCl, plus Magnesium something-or-other as an anticaking agent.

Flying Ox - if you use dilute apple juice with a bit of salt you get magnesium, potassium as well as sodium

A mix of lo salt and table salt would do - its mainly sodium you need with a tiny bit of potassium and magnesium. Epsom salts is magnesium IIRC - you would need to work out the proportions fairly carfully

Mind you even the need for elecrolytes is to some extent debatable and two different issues get muddled up

You might need to replace some lost salts
Water is absorbed more easily in the form of an electrolyte solution

I think I'm getting benefit from Nuun, but it could be snake oil; effective snake oil mind you. I'll take one of those powerbands while I'm in the shop.

To be fair, my mate is a food technologist and has carefully researched drink additives of all sorts. He rates Nuun as the most useful and least harmful. It seems to have solved his sweat related cramping problems.

[url= http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/electrolytes_plus ]£.5.99 for 180 (1 per 500ml) tablets[/url]

[url= http://www.myprotein.com/uk/products/electrolyte_powder ]Even more value in just pain powder form[/url]

I use the second one, one small scoop (~tip of a teaspoon) in each bottle. Not had cramp since i started using it, had it a few times before I started. Also using 10g frutose and 20g maltodextrin in a bottle for extra energy or half that if I've had chance to eat a proper carby meal.

Also........
A question of fitness in ST listed a load of additives Torq use in their recovery products, so I ordered kg's of those too, not bad, cost £50 for enough to last ~6months when the branded sutff is £25/kg!

Thanks thisisnotaspoon, that pouch looks good to me. Covers the salts needed, just need something to hide the taste. I reckon a splash of mango juice and I'll be sorted.

I often get headaches, especially if I'm away riding/climbing/walking for a few days. Hopefully this'll fix that.

Water is absorbed more easily in the form of an electrolyte solution

Whilst I disagree with TJ on the method of delivery (I know I benefit more from torq than a fruit juice concoction) I think he's got it here - as well as salts. You're getting more water into you more rapidly, and this is generally good.

Going to try TINAS's link (thanks!) though for shorter rides where the carbs aren't needed, I had been using High5 tabs occasionally but they are way too pricey in the long run. Thye do sem to ward off cramp though.

I use nuun on most of my rides/runs, unless very short. For anything over 50miles, i use high 5 4:1 and nuun, which tastes like i've eaten a packet of refreshers 😐

Just do a bit of googling of decent literature and you soon see that most people will have too much salt in their diet anyhow so shouldnt need any for a normal ride.

Some research shows that for long periods of exercise in extreme heat then you will need to replenish salt. However if your just going out for a ride on a normal summers day you will probably have had enough salt before you left, and in your food when you get home.

Also quite a lot of stuff to say that the salt purely stimulates you to drink more which is the thing that makes the difference, not the Salt.

Apparently most of the electrolite drinks are a mix of Caffeine, Sugar and salt.

I've only used them doing 24hr races and not sure its done me any good other than making my stomach feel uncomfortable and maybe a slight placebo effect.

However I'm sure for people doing the TdF etc there probably is some benefit.

Just found some good information [url= http://www.brianmac.co.uk/drinks.htm ]here[/url]

He breaks it down to 3 categories and explains the use accordingly, I think hypotonic rather than isotonic looks good.