Sports Drinks alternative?

[bikerHen]

Is there a sports drink alternative out there that isn't all sugar? I drank Gatorade this weekend instead of water and got a real gut-ache from all the sugar. Can you get a mix that's just electrolytes and other good stuff?

[SadieKate]

I find that I digest Cytomax better than Gatorade. I've always diluted it a bit and added Crystal Lite to make it taste better. Several of the TE ladies recommended E-caps (capsules) from Hammer Gel for pure electrolyte replacement without the calories. This combo seems to be working very well for me and hubby. I've recommended the E-caps to others who seem to be having equal success.

[mikki]

I've recently tried Vitamin Water by Glaceau. Not overly sweet, plus vitamins/minerals. Different formulas. I like Revive (B complex, E, C, and minerals, plus ginseng and gotu), fruit punch flavor. :p

[JesTutripup]

Careful, cause the same happened to me this weekend. The sweetest biker called me from behind to make sure I was ok. The pain had me walking half a mile. The heat can play a factor in the cramp as well.

You may need to put something solid in your tummy. I had a nice green apple. Also I carry Perrier with ice in waterbottle and Accelerade in my hydration pack.

Mineral water and an apple sets me straight. Sugar and doses of caffiene can probably throw you over heeving or in pain.

[bikerHen]

Thanks for your input! There is so much to learn! Heat was NOT an issue on this ride. The first half was in a cold rain, the second half was drying and thawing out in the weak but warm sunshine. I'm sure it was the Gatorade. This was the first time I've really drank the stuff. I tried to go 50/50 with water but it was still to much. I ate some, mostly protien bars, but we were so long on the ride I do think my empty stomach was part of the problem too. SadieKate, where do I find the E-caps? They sound like they are worth a try.

[CorsairMac]

Electro-Mix by Alacercorp, the same people that make Emer-Gen-C. It has nothing in it but what you need. It can be added to anything and I do mean just about Anything coz it's a very light lemon-lime flavour. It does not have sodium in it tho so on very hot days or very long rides you might need to add a dash of salt.

oops - my bad: shes' right it's Electro-Lyte (it's a mental thing.....that name just never sounds right to me! :-D)

[MomOnBike]

I'll add my vote for Electro-Mix/-Lite/Whatever it's called. Small packets, easy and light to carry, not much taste, can be mixed with every liquid I've tried it with so far. Pretty close to perfect. So far the best combo is one packet in a really big glass of iced tea and, um, an amount of dumb old table sugar.

One recovery beverage that hasn't been mentioned here that I really like is a smallish glass of diluted orange juice mixed with a heaping teaspoon of brewer's yeast. (OK, I'm just an old hippy. It's cool.) I've use that for years to put some bounce back in my step. It's kind of a mess, though, so I just drink it at home.

[SimpleCycle]

I think E-caps is the name of all their supplement products. I know people who use the Endurolytes capsules for electrolyte replacement. They also sell it in powder form you can mix into your drink. You can order it directly from their website:

http://www.e-caps.com/

And click on "Buy Hammer Now"

Some bike stores carry their products too, I think. I haven't found the Endurolytes anywhere though.

[bikerINco]

try Elete. You add it to water, and it still takes like water. comes in a bottle and only a few drops are necessary. it totally helps with cramping and doesn't contain any sugar.

[DallasChic]

I have been drinking unflavored Pedialyte..... Children's hydration electrolyte drink.
It is expensive but you can also purchase the generic brand.
I learned of this from an interview I saw on TV with a Dallas Stars Hockey player.
This is what the players drink during the games to stay hydrated.
There is no flavor and it sits well on the stomach!
Check it out!!!

http://www.pedialyte.com/

[Grog]

I love the taste of yellow Gatorade but it'd way too sweet, way above the recommended carbs % anyway (which is 6%). I dilute it to half-strength and add a pinch of salt for the sodium. I chew on bars that contain more sodium with potassium and other minerals along the way or on rest stops.

I'm not a big fan of orangy-stuff but many of my riding friends have diluted (again, about to half) orange juice.

[Technotart]

I'll second the pedialyte - it is the only thing that is widely available that is physiologically correct in terms of what it pushes and pulls osmotically. The generic versions are the same, and you can buy it at any grocery, drug or discount store.

There are some things like elete that can be mixed with water to achieve the same thing, but I find that those are sometimes hard to come by. My LBS doesn't always have it. AND if they arent mixed with the right amount of fluid then you don't get the osmotic results you want.

Your rehydration solution needs to osmotically PUSH fluid into your body - not pull it out. Gatorade and other sweet drinks pull it out and actually dehydrate you. Pedialyte does exactly what it is supposed to do.

[Trekhawk]

How does the taste of Pedialyte rate? I bought it for my boys when they were sick and they told me it tasted pretty bad.

Not long after this I read an article by a Doctor which included a recipe for some home made mix as he said he had found it near impossible to get kids to drink Pedialyte.

I know kids taste buds are fresh not like our old ones so maybe for adults the taste is ok?????

[Technotart]

You can buy flavored versions. Frankly - when I'm out in the heat I don't care what I am drinking taste wise, as long as it does the trick. It isn't that bad.
I figure if I can eat GU, Clif shots and other ick...Pedialyte's NUTHIN!

[wabisabi]

My chiropractor, who cycles, made an observation that I thought I would pass along. I try to be careful about hydration because of a kind of colitis that I have that can be really aggravated by the wrong kinds of food/additives that cause things to, ahem, pass through me quickly and a consequent electrolyte imbalance. I usually deal with it and don't have problems. Recently I have been getting leg and foot cramps again. She mentioned that when someone approaches being an "athlete", which she said, at 100 miles a week I might be (I'm 55), that the body adjusts to make the best use of water. This means that sometimes the stuff in the sports drink additives can throw the body off--too many minerals, which is sometimes the problem that people encounter when they travel and "drink the water". I recalled that I had gone to adding the full amount of cytomax to my bottles--not sure why, it never gets above the low 60's here on the coast in the summer. Anyway, she suggested only adding half as much of the powder as recommended.

[Helen]

Is there a sports drink alternative out there that isn't all sugar? I drank Gatorade this weekend instead of water and got a real gut-ache from all the sugar. Can you get a mix that's just electrolytes and other good stuff?

I think that normal mineral water is the best drink of all. You get all you need from this drink and you avoid all those Es that are usually included with all the commercial drinks.

[maryellen]

try ultima replenisher. No simple sugars (sweetened w stevia) and more electrolytes than gatorade.

[Helen]

I might appear silly but what is stevia ? I never heard of this kind of sweetener ? Is it healthy?

[CorsairMac]

I might appear silly but what is stevia ? I never heard of this kind of sweetener ? Is it healthy?

Stevia is an all natural sweetener made from the plant: Stevia! lol It doesn't coz the problems that processed sugars do, it has a sweeter taste so you can use less, and darn it - it's good for you!

[maryellen]

i'll add that i don't care for stevia as a sweetener in general (eg, in tea) and have trained myself to drink unsweetened coffee and tea. Some folks (like me) find that stevia has a bit of an aftertaste. BUT in ultima replenisher, i don't notice any stevia aftertaste.

[abuelitodimetu]

I have used with success nuun (www.nuun.com). It has a hint of lime flavor. Very pleasing. Because it has no sugar, you can pour it over your head if you start to overheat during a race and is the only thing you carry.
Another one I will be trying is Electro Mix by the Alacer company (makers of emergen-C) (http://www.iherb.com/electromix.html)

[Helen]

Thank you CorsairMac but I think I prefer the maryellen way, which means no sweetener in my drinks even if they are 100%.

[traveller_62]

There area a lot of factors to consider in deciding a hydration/nutrition strategy. For rides under an hour I use GU or HammerGel and plain water. If I drink a "sports drink" product for these shorter or low intensity rides I find that it bothers my stomach.

For intense rides over two hours I eat a sandwich (usually peanut butter and honey) two hours before the ride and then use Accelerade (made up from powder) during the ride. If I do extra hills in my longer work outs I take along some GU for an extra boost about mid-way through the ride.

I have never been able to tolerate Gatorade....even diluted. My stomach cramps up terribly. The Accerlerade isn't pleasant to drink (kind of thick) but I've found that it really is effective for staying hydrated.

I agree with many of the others that have posted here that we sometimes over compensate for the loss of electrolytes/minerals and end up with an osmotic imbalance that actually hurts muscle performance.

traveller

[Dogmama]

I've used Cytomax for over 10 years and swear by it. I don't get a big sugar jolt/let down - just a nice increase in endurance.

[bcipam]

There is a product you can buy that when used in plain water, creates a drink that contains all the electrolytes you need. The product is ordorless and favorless and contains no sugar. Of course for the life I can't remember the name but the local bike shop/Tri-Alth. shop will know. It comes in a little bottle and just 2 drops are needed for one water bottle. If I come up with the name I'll let you know. [I think it's made by Enervit but uncertain...)

[Helen]

There is a product you can buy that when used in plain water, creates a drink that contains all the electrolytes you need.

I am afraid it contains too many chemicals for my taste ... even if it has no sugar. It can't be natural ... Am I wrong ?

[traveller_62]

Actually electrolytes are a natural part of your body's chemistry. Muscles won't work without 'em. Sports drinks and the related products just allow you to deliver them more efficiently to your muscles when you are doing intense exercise. So I don't think you should think of them as being somehow artificial.

If you are working out hard for hours at a time or are in a competition (bike race, triathlon, etc.) you will need to take in replacement electrolytes or risk muscle fatigue/failure. For regular old workouts I don't think they are needed. If you've eaten sufficiently well prior to working out and drink plain water to stay hydrated you will usually be fine.

cheers,
traveller

[SadieKate]

Endurolytes from Hammer come in both a capsule and powder form. I've had excellent luck with them (thanks, V and AG and ??!). I generally don't worry about electrolytes or calories for rides under an hour. If it is hot (90F and above), I will use 1 bottle or 1 capsule of electrolytes. It seems to make recovery easier.

[Helen]

Actually electrolytes are a natural part of your body's chemistry. Muscles won't work without 'em. Sports drinks and the related products just allow you to deliver them more efficiently to your muscles when you are doing intense exercise. So I don't think you should think of them as being somehow artificial.

I am sorry I was under that impression ... now I understand it completely. But what about the electrolytes produced by our own bodies. According to your sayings, our bodies will produce the right electrolytes only if we are well fed and hydrated ? In this case ... I think I'll chose the natural way ... its a lot more economical too :D

[CorsairMac]

The problem is every time you pee, sweat, or breathe with your mouth open, you lose potassium amongst other electrolytes. So if you're exercising you're doing at least 2 of the 3 and your body can't replace the electrolytes fast enough to compensate. OTHO: if you're not experiencing any problems like leg cramps or extreme fatigue and are recovering ok, as always, go with what works for you.

[Helen]

The problem is every time you pee, sweat, or breathe with your mouth open, you lose potassium amongst other electrolytes. So if you're exercising you're doing at least 2 of the 3 and your body can't replace the electrolytes fast enough to compensate. OTHO: if you're not experiencing any problems like leg cramps or extreme fatigue and are recovering ok, as always, go with what works for you.

CorsairMac you seem to know many things about the human body ... maybe you can help me with something:
Recently ... almost every time I go out biking ... my stomach acids invade my esophagus. Is that a major problem ? How do I stop that ?
Thanks.

[CorsairMac]

CorsairMac you seem to know many things about the human body ... maybe you can help me with something:
Recently ... almost every time I go out biking ... my stomach acids invade my esophagus. Is that a major problem ? How do I stop that ?
Thanks.

My first thought would be: what are you eating prior to riding and/or during your ride?
Also: do you have problems with acid reflux at any other time??

You might try keeping a food diary and see if you can narrow down what is triggering the reponse.
There are also several nutrionists on the board that might be able to help you better!

[RoadRaven]

I agree with Corsair... what have you been eating in the previous 12 hours or so...?

Maybe keep a food diary so you can make links (if there are any) between your reflux and food.

Food type is the most logical place to begin...

[DirtDiva]

As they say: if the problem persists, visit your doctor - there are some pretty effective medications for chronic acid reflux.

[SadieKate]

Little bit on acid reflux from Cycling News.

I also read some place recently that RAAM riders stay away from acid foods because it makes their mouths sore. Can't remember where I read this.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/fitness/?id=2004/letters10-11#Acid

Acid reflux
I am 22 years old male who has been cycling for about 7 months. I suffer occasional acid reflux and gastro-irritation post rides, I have seen the doctor, and taken blood samples but there seems to be nothing wrong with my stomach nor liver. I wonder if you know what might have caused it?
Jason

Pam Hinton replies:
This would genuinely qualify as a pain in the neck. The only personal experience I have with this phenomenon would be friends who have learned the hard way what and when they can and can't eat prior to high-intensity races like crits. So it might be that a little gastric circumspection on your part will do the trick.

Acid reflux happens when the valve between the esophagus and stomach (the lower esophageal sphincter, LES) is not working properly. Normally, the LES only relaxes when you are swallowing so food can pass from the esophagus to the stomach. When the LES relaxes at other times, stomach acid flows the wrong direction (reflux), irritating the esophagus. Chocolate, peppermint, spearmint, onions and fat cause the LES to relax. Alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and some medications also cause relaxation of the LES. When the stomach contents exert a lot of pressure on the LES, acid may reflux into the esophagus. Gastric pressure is increased when food stays in the stomach too long (delayed gastric emptying), after eating a large meal, or laying down after eating. Exercise can divert blood flow from the gastrointestinal tract and slow gastric emptying. If you eat too much too close to the time you ride, that last meal may stay in your stomach and cause reflux-especially if, as in the case of the friends I mentioned earlier, your ride happens to be a walk on the hammerin' side. For immediate relief from the burning and irritation post-ride, try taking an over-the-counter antacid. These medications work by directly neutralizing the acid. As for a remedy during the ride, at least one of my friends swears that slamming a Coke helps. Not sure why it would work, but maybe things actually do go better with that stuff.

[Helen]

My first thought would be: what are you eating prior to riding and/or during your ride?
Also: do you have problems with acid reflux at any other time??

You might try keeping a food diary and see if you can narrow down what is triggering the reponse.
There are also several nutrionists on the board that might be able to help you better!

Well, it kind of happens almost every time I ride ... no matter what I eat.

[Helen]

For immediate relief from the burning and irritation post-ride, try taking an over-the-counter antacid. These medications work by directly neutralizing the acid. As for a remedy during the ride, at least one of my friends swears that slamming a Coke helps. Not sure why it would work, but maybe things actually do go better with that stuff.[/I]

Thanks SadieKate for your impressive answer (or quote).
I don't see how this Coke could help me since that liquid contains acid by itself (???) ... but I will surely try. I did a little research on the net and found that Maalox is a good remedy. Do you know anything about it ?