As much as I would like to be able to afford them I can't. Not at 4 pills an hour. Are there cheaper alternatives that exist or are there any good suppliers of the salts etc. where one can blend their own electrolyte substance?
Maybe but four hits of meth will probably kill ya' .Forrest Root said:Meth and crack can be had pretty cheaply on the street.
x 11ty billionrogerstg said:Morton lite salt. Add tums if you need some calcium.
+1. FWIW, if you use Lite Salt it will be comparable to other drink mixes since it contains similar proportions of potassium and trace amounts of magnesium. Basically it is a mixture of plain salt and salt substitute.ZoSoSwiM said:I’ve used a little salt in my camelbak a few times with a touch of lemon/lime concentrate. Tastes fine and works well enough. Doesn’t compare to other drink mixes but provides the basics and a slight touch of vitamins.
I sweat...a lot. More than anybody I know or have come across. I'll start sweating heavily a quarter mile into my ride. I've tried adding regular salt as well as salt substitute for the potassium (I've tried various amounts). I'm still cramping near the end even though I feel fine. I don't race but my typical rides are 21/2 to 31/2 hrs long. I still carry plain water as well as some type of energy bar/gels for the carb maintenance before/during/after the ride.allison said:Are you racing, or just riding recreationally? I use more "products" for racing and then endurance/training.
I may use a drink mix of some kind on normal rides and eat primarily trail food, but use less pills, etc.
But, if you are just riding recreationally either cut the dose in half, or just follow what has been said here!
Electrolytes are probably not the issue as much as lack of water. FWIW, I don't sweat too excessively, yet I go through two 24 oz bottles easily on a 2 hr ride after hydrating well before the ride. Any less and I get cramping, esp in my feet and legs. Only my first bottle might have any kind of salt added.jabpn said:II'm still cramping near the end even though I feel fine. I don't race but my typical rides are 21/2 to 31/2 hrs long. I still carry plain water as well as some type of energy bar/gels for the carb maintenance before/during/after the ride.
If I'm riding longer than 2.5 hours, I use Hammer Perpetuem. I swear by this stuff for long rides. For the shorter rides, Heed is sufficient. While using these two products, I have never bonked or cramped.jabpn said:I sweat...a lot. More than anybody I know or have come across. I'll start sweating heavily a quarter mile into my ride. I've tried adding regular salt as well as salt substitute for the potassium (I've tried various amounts). I'm still cramping near the end even though I feel fine. I don't race but my typical rides are 21/2 to 31/2 hrs long. I still carry plain water as well as some type of energy bar/gels for the carb maintenance before/during/after the ride.
Another problem I have is that I usually get a headache after every ride. Doctor can't find anything wrong and blood work is fine. I notice that I feel "tight" after riding despite maintaining adequate hydration so I'm hoping it's just an electrolyte that's low. So far I've ruled out lack of water, sugar, potassium, and salt. Since there are two kinds of salts and Potassium as well as Magnesium I'm hoping one of three I don't currently get in my own mixtures will be the key or keys I'm missing. I'm taking a Mag. tablet with a multi-vitamin (w/o iron) in the morning but if I sweat it out I still need to replace it.
I have two 32oz bottles that I use. I'll go through one an hour, sometimes 1 1/2 (there are refill points during my ride). I do the same with one bottle (I keep refilling at the points) with a concentrated energy/salt-salt substitute mix.rogerstg said:Electrolytes are probably not the issue as much as lack of water. FWIW, I don't sweat too excessively, yet I go through two 24 oz bottles easily on a 2 hr ride after hydrating well before the ride. Any less and I get cramping, esp in my feet and legs. Only my first bottle might have any kind of salt added.
I've used it for century rides. It does works. But, it is too expensive to use everyday so I'm back to the original question I posted. I also posted this at MTBR and somebody suggested Nutrabiotic Essential Electrolytes so I'm going to give these a try. There are some differences between Endurolytes but they are very close.HikenBike said:If I'm riding longer than 2.5 hours, I use Hammer Perpetuem. I swear by this stuff for long rides. For the shorter rides, Heed is sufficient. While using these two products, I have never bonked or cramped.
Start also taking a calcium pill everyday. Can't hurt Hubby cramps a lot and I finally made him start taking them and so far so good. We've yet to do an incredibly hard ride (on road or off) in heat, so we'll see when it warms up.jabpn said:I sweat...a lot. More than anybody I know or have come across. I'll start sweating heavily a quarter mile into my ride. I've tried adding regular salt as well as salt substitute for the potassium (I've tried various amounts). I'm still cramping near the end even though I feel fine. I don't race but my typical rides are 21/2 to 31/2 hrs long. I still carry plain water as well as some type of energy bar/gels for the carb maintenance before/during/after the ride.
Another problem I have is that I usually get a headache after every ride. Doctor can't find anything wrong and blood work is fine. I notice that I feel "tight" after riding despite maintaining adequate hydration so I'm hoping it's just an electrolyte that's low. So far I've ruled out lack of water, sugar, potassium, and salt. Since there are two kinds of salts and Potassium as well as Magnesium I'm hoping one of three I don't currently get in my own mixtures will be the key or keys I'm missing. I'm taking a Mag. tablet with a multi-vitamin (w/o iron) in the morning but if I sweat it out I still need to replace it.
Sounds like hyponatremia. You'd best do some research on it. Drinking plain water is one of the worst things you can do to worsen it. Basically you are losing too much sodium through your sweat and your serum sodium level gets too low. The fact that you are getting headaches means it's pretty severe. Best to contact an endurance coach or a sports medicine doctor who is familiar with the condition. In the worst case scenario, prolonged salty sweating and drinking too much free water, this can lead to seizures and even death. Lean more about it...some of the other suggestions in this thread are downright dangerous if it is exercise-induced hyponatremia.jabpn said:I sweat...a lot.
Another problem I have is that I usually get a headache after every ride. .
jabpn said:As much as I would like to be able to afford them I can't. Not at 4 pills an hour. Are there cheaper alternatives that exist or are there any good suppliers of the salts etc. where one can blend their own electrolyte substance?
Forgot about that. Just hope that the contamination in your next bottle is steroids and not something that will make your willie shrivel up and fall off.parity said:But Endurolytes are the only ones with the hidden goodness:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=features/2008/neben_court_case08
Maybe it's a tumor. How common is hyponatremia? Not very. How much is it hyped in sports media? Way too much. The induced fear rivals that of BPA poisoning. It's severe? Does that mean you've made a diagnosis?tiger said:Sounds like hyponatremia. You'd best do some research on it. Drinking plain water is one of the worst things you can do to worsen it. Basically you are losing too much sodium through your sweat and your serum sodium level gets too low. The fact that you are getting headaches means it's pretty severe. Best to contact an endurance coach or a sports medicine doctor who is familiar with the condition. In the worst case scenario, prolonged salty sweating and drinking too much free water, this can lead to seizures and even death. Lean more about it...some of the other suggestions in this thread are downright dangerous if it is exercise-induced hyponatremia.
Hyponatremia usually occurs when two things are true: You have lost a lot of electrolytes, which takes many hours, and you have diluted what electrolytes you have left, usually with plain water. Your body will attempt to bring itself back into balance by pushing water out of your system, so a good sign of hyponatremia is the need to pee often, even though you may be sweating more than you are drinking; the urine can be almost as clear as water.tiger said:Sounds like hyponatremia. You'd best do some research on it. Drinking plain water is one of the worst things you can do to worsen it. Basically you are losing too much sodium through your sweat and your serum sodium level gets too low. The fact that you are getting headaches means it's pretty severe. Best to contact an endurance coach or a sports medicine doctor who is familiar with the condition. In the worst case scenario, prolonged salty sweating and drinking too much free water, this can lead to seizures and even death. Lean more about it...some of the other suggestions in this thread are downright dangerous if it is exercise-induced hyponatremia.