Do you need the sweet sports drinks for energy?

[teawoman]

Like RunningMommy, I've been trying to go back to low sugar all week. I have a long ride on Sat (about 5 hours). I've been using gatorade for the longer rides (plus pb & honey sandwiches) for energy, and I would rather skip the sugar. I don't want to screw up my week!:o

Can I just use something like electrolyte tabs in my water, or do I need something sweet too?

[OakLeaf]

Sugar helps with absorption too, so make sure you stay on top of hydration and don't get behind.

You do need to eat on longer rides, but there's no reason it has to be sugar as long as it's something that your body can process while you're riding. It depends a lot on how hard you're riding and your own body.

There've been a couple of threads lately on this topic:

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=24792&highlight=elete

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=24653&highlight=elete

I've never tried eLete, but I use EmergenC pretty often - it's easy to get anyhow.

[lauraelmore1033]

I've found gatoraide to be a godsend on longer distance or strenuous, hilly rides. After 45 miles or so(or even sooner if the route is hilly), I completely lose my appetite--in fact the thought of eating becomes downright repulsive. That is the point when it becomes most important to eat. I can force myself to suck down some gatoraide more easily than I can force myself to eat solid food.

[bluebug32]

I've been making my own iced tea and adding freshly squeezed lemon as well as honey and a little salt. I get really sweetened out on some of the sports drinks so this is a welcomed break.

[aicabsolut]

I also can't really choke down real food during the hot months. I hate Gatorade, but I can tolerate the Clif drink and some non-food food (bloks, sport beans, etc.) When I'm eating on the bike, I need fast energy. Some sugars are a bit better than others I guess. I don't think that having some simple sugars on the bike affects your body (and your diet) negatively like eating too much sugar off the bike. (provided you're not diabetic or something)

[GLC1968]

Another thing to consider - when you are glycogen depleated (or starting to be), you don't get the same reaction from ingesting pure sugar that you do when you are just hungry. Even those who low carb (by choice, not because they have too) can eat simpler sugars when riding hard without adversely affecting blood sugar. Basically, your body uses it so quickly that your insulin does not have to 'rise' to accomodate it.

If you want to read more about this, The Paleo Diet for Athletes explains it much better than I can! :p

[teawoman]

Another thing to consider - when you are glycogen depleated (or starting to be), you don't get the same reaction from ingesting pure sugar that you do when you are just hungry. Even those who low carb (by choice, not because they have too) can eat simpler sugars when riding hard without adversely affecting blood sugar. Basically, your body uses it so quickly that your insulin does not have to 'rise' to accomodate it.

If you want to read more about this, The Paleo Diet for Athletes explains it much better than I can! :p

Oh good! I was hoping someone would say something like that. Gatorade really works well for me on long rides. There's no technical health reason that I am going low sugar except that I discovered experimentally that it works for me for losing weight and side benefits include lessening food cravings and amazing general overall well being (less anxiety being a big one).

Not that I'm paying attention only to what I want to hear. :o

[Becky]

A couple of lower-sugar options for sports drinks:

Ultima Replenisher- uses stevia (all natural) as a sweetener, so very few carbs but all of the electrolytes. I tried it, but probably won't buy it again due to the taste.

Vitalyte- the stuff formerly known as Gookinaid, and then Hydralyte ERG. My favorite sports drink out there. 10 grams of carbs per 8-oz. serving, and all the electrolytes. The citrus flavor is clear, and very lightly sweetened- nothing like gatorade or similar! It's also very gentle on sensitive stomachs- no cramping or queasiness here.

Camelbak Elixir tabs- These are carb-free and artificially sweetened, but pretty tasty. A word of warning- due to the effervesence, do not put the lids on your bottles for at least 20 minutes! It will make a mess (but at least it's not a sticky mess ;) )

Of these 3 that I've tried, I prefer the Vitalyte, although I'll periodically pick up some Elixir if I need the electrolytes but can't handle the carbs, e.g. post-ride.

Hope this helps!

[alpinerabbit]

But Becky,

sweetness that has no use is pointless on the bike, don't you think? So I would skip anything artifically sweetened.

I'll go with water and gels, bars and dried fruit kinda thing. On long rides we take a break anyway and will have a sandwich, pastry or such, and coffee. Always lots of sugar.

But for liquid I prefer water, the rest turns out to be sticky.

And some of the sports drinks (I believe it's the fructose) have had delayed, negative effects on my digestion (I would describe it as jet propulsion...:D:o:D ... you guess)

[Becky]

But Becky,

sweetness that has no use is pointless on the bike, don't you think? So I would skip anything artifically sweetened.


I totally agree, which is why I don't use Elixir on the bike, and why I prefer the Vitalyte ;) However, I know people who do use Elixir while riding- to each his or her own.

[ny biker]

I'm confused. The point of sports drinks and gels is that you are burning carbs while you ride so you need to replenish them. Anything that is "carb free" fails to do that. So you run low on glycogen and you bonk.

You can get carbs from other sources, like pretzels, fruit, etc., if your stomach can tolerate them. (Unfortunately mine usually can't, especially during hot summer rides.) One benefit from sports drinks and gels over actual food is that the drinks/gels are formulated to be processed quickly by your digestive system so your body gets the benefits more quickly.

Another benefit from sports drinks and gels is electrolyte replacement. But electrolyte replacement alone won't be enough to get through a long ride, you still need the carbs.

FWIW, I know someone who makes his own sports drink. I don't know the full recipe but orange juice and salt are the two ingredients I remember him mentioning.

[teawoman]

I'm confused. The point of sports drinks and gels is that you are burning carbs while you ride so you need to replenish them. Anything that is "carb free" fails to do that. So you run low on glycogen and you bonk.

You can get carbs from other sources, like pretzels, fruit, etc., if your stomach can tolerate them. (Unfortunately mine usually can't, especially during hot summer rides.) One benefit from sports drinks and gels over actual food is that the drinks/gels are formulated to be processed quickly by your digestive system so your body gets the benefits more quickly.

Yeah, I'm not looking for carb free, I'm asking whether a lower sugar drink will give me the same energy benefits as one like gatorade--or if I can just eat a) carbs that are more complex and b) an electrolyte tab in water, thus staying away from the super sweet drinks altogether. Dried fruit is out for me because I'm allergic to the sulfites (and they seem to be even in the ones that claim to have no preservatives).

Sorry for the confusion.

[alpinerabbit]

Yeah, I'm not looking for carb free, I'm asking whether a lower sugar drink will give me the same energy benefits as one like gatorade--or if I can just eat more complex carbs plus an electrolyte tab in water and stay away from the super sweet drinks.

yes? of course, if you can stomach it!

Have a banana!

have some pretzels and even lose the electrolyte tab!

[ny biker]

Consider grapes and orange wedges, too, if fruit works for you.

[aicabsolut]

And some of the sports drinks (I believe it's the fructose) have had delayed, negative effects on my digestion (I would describe it as jet propulsion...:D:o:D ... you guess)

Fructose is not an ideal sugar to have during exercise. It can cause cramps, is harder to break down by the body (convert to glycogen), and it can sometimes slow stomach emptying. So industrial Gatorade with HFCS is not as good as other sports drinks/supplements that have more glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin.

I see low sugar sports drinks and I think, "What's the point?"

[teawoman]

So industrial Gatorade with HFCS is not as good as other sports drinks/supplements that have more glucose, sucrose, and maltodextrin.

I see low sugar sports drinks and I think, "What's the point?"

This sort of info is also what I am after. So what are the better ones?

[aicabsolut]

I think Accelerade uses mostly maltodextrin and dextrose, which is easily converted to glycogen by the body. Clif uses brown rice syrup and similar sugars, which is about 50% soluble carb: glucose (quick to digest) and maltose (an hour or so). You pretty much just have to read the ingredients list. I tend to go more by taste, but I think you'd do fine with those brands or Hammer, Gu, etc.

[jehocu03]

I use the camelback elixir tabs pre-race or ride, then clif electrolyte mix during rides. It seems to work best for me to pre-load sodium, more so than carbs, in a pre-ride drink, otherwise,I just feel lethargic. :)

[OakLeaf]

Powdered Gatorade is sweetened with sucrose and dextrose only. It's only if you buy the pre-mix that you get the HFCS (and waste all that plastic).

[Blueberry]

Good to know re: powdered gatorade. I always wondered why the pre-mix didn't taste as good to me:)

[blondiebiker]

Like RunningMommy, I've been trying to go back to low sugar all week. I have a long ride on Sat (about 5 hours). I've been using gatorade for the longer rides (plus pb & honey sandwiches) for energy, and I would rather skip the sugar. I don't want to screw up my week!:o

Can I just use something like electrolyte tabs in my water, or do I need something sweet too?

You probably know most of this, but this is a summary of what I have learned - it may help!

Using electrolyte tabs and eating sugar are two different issues. Electrolyte tabs help to replace the ions lost through sweat when you exercise. They are crucial because your body has to have the correct balance of these for neurons to be able to send signals to each other and to muscles. You can replace the ones that are lost through a sports drink, through e. tabs, or by eating foods that contain electrolytes, but make sure that you are replacing them somehow!

Carbohydrates, on the other hand, replace energy stores that are depleted during exercise. There are two types of carbohydrates (simple sugars and complex carbohydrates) and the main difference between the two, in simple terms, is how long the body takes to break them down into usable energy (http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=61). Simple sugars are broken down much more quickly, so if you are going to need easily accessible energy fast, that's what you need to have. Complex carbohydrates are a slower, steadier energy supply. On a five hour ride I would tend to use more complex carbs, and with that long of a ride I would add some protein in as well, to promote muscle recovery. Btw, the pb & honey is a great mix of simple sugar (honey), complex carboydrates (bread) and protein (peanut butter).

My personal all time favorite is Hammer Nutrition. They sell several different types of drinks and gels, tailored for individuals who are sensitive to sugar. Their sports gels are approved for use by people with diabetes as well. Here is their website: http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=ARTICLE&ARTICLE.ID=1252

I don't profess being a professional in this area by any means, but I've spent a lot of time learning about it, and it's fun to talk about! :D

[Triskeliongirl]

I am a type 1.5 diabetic so I eat a very low carb high protein diet to normalize my blood sugars, rather than taking insulin.

It is correct that you need to consume energy on the bike, but it is not correct that carbs are the only fuel source you can use.

I have trained my body to work on protein and fat (i.e. it takes some time to adapt). On the bike, I drink shakes made from Jay Robb's Whey Protein Powder that I buy at our HEB Central Market. The container gives this link JayRobb.com. It is flavored with cocoa and stevia, and contains electrolytes. I make two large bottles with 1.5 scoops per bottle for a 3-4 hour ride. At the rest stop I fill what is gone with ice and continue drinking. I'll also munch some almonds at the rest stop, and as needed on the bike. On a longer ride (like a century) I might add a couple hard boiled eggs, and carry more powder to make more shakes as needed.

[teawoman]

Just an update. Thanks again! You're right that I was confusing the issues a bit. It's just that I was so successful with weight loss on a lower sugar diet that I was skeered I'd screw it up. And I feel much calmer and less anxious. (And friends say I'm not so moody :o).

I just finished my first century last week (Sunday), and I went with things they had at the rest stops in small amounts, like trail mix (with m&ms :cool:), pbj sandwiches, some chips, and bananas as well as my own clif shot bloks, luna bars, and gatorade in between. I was out there 7 hours and I felt GREAT. I *really* like the clif shot bloks. I actually ended up not drinking all that much gatorade--about a big bottle and half. I didn't want to try a new sports drink on a long ride when the gatorade's always been fine for me. I've got a couple of Heed samples to try in the near future.

AND 5 pounds lost in the last 2-3 weeks! :cool: But prolly nothing this week...I've been ravenously hungry and eating like a pig since Sunday. :o:p

[Natural Beauty]

It was suggested that our family try coconut water instead of sports drinks. I haven't tried it yet. But, this gal pal is one amazing athlete so I'm going to try it this weekend. hee hee maybe then I'll look like her too.

[KnottedYet]

I like coconut water. It has lots of fat in it, so it gives me nice steady energy. Not too sweet, nicely salty.

Toasted coconut water is a yummy change if you get tired of the regular.

I get both in cans about the size of pop cans.

[Brandy]

Good answers here so far. I think it's hard for women to transition out of the mindset that sugars/carbs are bad and into the mindset that they're necessary for athletic performance.

On the bike I typically stay liquid unless I'd doing a double century. I use Accelerade (great because it also contains protein), Accel Gels and recently I have been using Carbo Pro/Carbo Pro 1200. CP1200 is good for when I'm over the sweet taste of Accelerade. The flavor is pretty mild.

[PinkBike]

caution about the accelerade - i cant stomach the whey in any form, it gives me cramps. cytomax is an alternative for me - no fructose. and it doesnt have that sweet gatorade taste - to me anyhoo.

[Jiffer]

Dh and I drink Cytomax Lite. Used to use regular Cytomax, but we both like the lighter taste of the Lite. It has the electrolytes and all that. Dh has been through a lot of different brands and done a lot of research, so I just do what he does. :) You should try it. We buy it sometimes at The Vitamin Shoppe, but they don't always have it in stock, so my husband bought it online last time. We like Raspberry Iced Tea. I'm not a tea person at all, and I like it. I'm also not a diet soda person at ALL because of the aftertaste, and this doesn't have that either. They use CytoCarb Lite to sweeten. It's "CytoSport's Unique Low-Glycemic Indexed Combination Of Pure Crystalline Fructose". 80 calories per scoop, one to one and a half per sports bottle.

[Brandy]

caution about the accelerade - i cant stomach the whey in any form, it gives me cramps. cytomax is an alternative for me - no fructose. and it doesnt have that sweet gatorade taste - to me anyhoo.

See how we're all different...I totally dehydrated myself of a century once because I couldn't stomach Cytomax...lol. :p

[Dogmama]

I just got done studying muscle kinesthesiology as it relates to endurance. If you are working at a lower heart rate, like 60%-70%, your body can fuel itself from fats. But, you still must have carbs to assist this conversion. "Fat burns in a carbohydrate flame" according to Covert Bailey.

If you're working at a higher heart rate, you'll need simple carbs. Malodextrin is one of the best & usually one of the first ingredients in Cytomax and other drinks of that type. As stated, fructose is harder to break down. The glycogen is needed keeps your muscles contracting. It isn't stored as fat unless you ingest too much.

Also, consider the EPOC effect after very long or interval rides. Your body will continue to burn calories to mend the small muscle tears and replace muscle glycogen. The amount of EPOC is directly proportional to the difficulty of the ride. That's why you need to fuel your muscles immediately after a ride if you intend to do it again soon (before 48 hours.) You'll recover quicker if you have a liquid with a protein:carb ratio of 1:4. You want to avoid fats because fat will delay gastric emptying, thus your muscles will not be able to quickly absorb the protein & carbs they crave.

Your mileage may vary. You can train your body to burn fat at a higher heart rate but it takes time. The fact that some people do better with fats & protein on their rides shows how different we are (but, I'll bet a little simple carbs would supercharge their ride. :))

[Susan126]

Powerade is my elixir, panacea, cure-all, wonder remedy for me! I find gatorade too salty and within seconds of drinking it my mouth feels parched! I also enjoy a mocha before every ride :D

[fidlfreek]

"Also, consider the EPOC effect after very long or interval rides. Your body will continue to burn calories to mend the small muscle tears and replace muscle glycogen. The amount of EPOC is directly proportional to the difficulty of the ride. That's why you need to fuel your muscles immediately after a ride if you intend to do it again soon (before 48 hours.)"

I am new to cycling and have had all kinds of advice about eating but nothing as good as this. Thanks for actually explaining the whole process!

I was wondering if you knew anything that might help me. I am a very short very thin gal and am interested in loosing as little weight as possible. It seems like I'm ALWAYS hungry now that I'm cycling multiple times a week. Any ideas on keeping this killer metabolism from eating me alive? I'm just not used to this....