I’m starting to get completely wiped out on my running/jogging training because of the approaching heat. It’s been suggested I should start taking electrolytes to rehydrate.
I’m curious what other OzBargainers do and what their go to product is.
Whats a Good Bargain Electrolyte Drink, Powder, Tablet?
SlappersOnly on 11/10/2023 - 08:20
Last edited 11/10/2023 - 11:19 by 1 other user
Last edited 11/10/2023 - 11:19 by 1 other user
Comments
Yeah. I’m already chugging over a litre of water before a run. If I drink even more I’m just going to be bloated the whole time
You probably need to drink during your run too then.
You should be able to run for an hour or so without extra water on the run.
Maybe you need a recovery drink rather than something like Gatorade. Apparently the simplest is chocolate milk.
How often are you running? If every second day, the trick is to drink water/hydrate well the day before, then a glass or two before your run. If you drink too much before a run, you're always on the look-out for a bush…
Tip #2: Plan your route beforehand and include spots where you know there are taps you can use.
As a general rule, you should only need gel shots, electrolyte drinks et cetera if you're running greater than 15 KMs. If in question on this, seek a qualified medical opinion, mine is only a general rule!
I get that drinking water is good but a lack of water before and after is not my issue. I’m not saying electrolytes is the solution, just that I’m already well and truly hydrated. It’s the during the run part that’s the issue. Instead of a normal 10km run I’m getting knocked out and drenched by 5km. Maybe I just need to wait and slowly acclimatise to the new heat.
@SlappersOnly: So, it's just from the sudden weather/seasonal change? Perhaps try running much slower while you acclimatise.
When I was running long distance, I used Endura (I see it recommended elsewhere in the thread) as a powder mixed into water.
Alternatively, try taking an Endura gel shot, they're about $2.50. If you're running 10, take it around 5 KM and see if they help.
Drinking too much water could be your issue. You need the salts in balance. Coconut water is one of the best or just buy a big container of electrolytes. Staminate is really good tasting.
I've only tried some cheap products, i.e. Electrolyte Plus from Bulk Nutrients, Horleys Replace (from Aminoz), Endura Low Carb Electrolyte (from Amazon). Usually drink them after the run, or fill up water bottles if going for 30+km. Most taste awful, and can't really feel any effect either.
Maybe I should spend more on some proper electrolyte rather than sports drink powders.
What is the difference between proper electrolyte and sports drink powders?
Sorry no idea, but there seems to be huge price difference between products. Hopefully more than just some salt & mineral.
All good, thats interesting!
sports drink powders
Probably sugar.
Question came up at a sports nutrition seminar I attended once when someone asked about stuff like Gatorade, and the answer was "cut that stuff down to about a third, it's just too concentrated"
What is the difference between proper electrolyte and sports drink powders?
plants dont crave sports drink powders :)
My understanding (which could be wrong) is the issue with those electrolyte powders is they need a delivery/absorption mechanism which they lack, the sweetness is often a sweetener which doesn't work for that.
This is why Gatorade etc have so much sugar, its an easy way to deliver/absorb.
Hydralyte Sports seems to be the best balance of sugar to effectiveness but its way too expensive.
Pinch of salt in your bottle of water
Eat more protein and carbohydrates an hour or two before your run too
Yeah but I run at 5am so eating an hour or two before that is a little tricky
Ah yeah I understand that would be tough
Salt is a good idea though. Might debate going the cheap salt water route instead of buying flavoured sugar salt water
Looked into this years ago. There'a slew of electrolytes your body needs (off memory potassium and magnesium are included in this) and salt contains only sodium.
I've personally never needed electrolyte drinks, but friends who sweat buckloads during exercise swear by proper tablets instead of just adding a bit of table salt. I've seen the difference- with electrolyte drinks they just stop cramping up, or can go for hours longer before cramping.
I should add, this is multi-hour stuff, like half a day of sweating in tropical conditions. I've had friends who have to stop halfway through a ride and stretch out cramps, or on the trip home afterwards will fall onto their knees on the footpath because both legs suddenly cramp.
These guys sweat so much that their gear and clothing is covered in white salt crystals. I hindsight, maybe they could have cut down on their electrolyte tablet purchases by snorting the crystals.
Salt + lemon works, but if you're talking about multi-hour marathon then you probably should go for powder.
This but with a squeeze of lemon also.
Much more than just sodium needed.
Brawndo?
Otherwise these taste good. :) https://www.nowfoods.com/products/sports-nutrition/effer-hyd…
If I crave brawndo, am I a plant?
Maybe, did it mutilate your thirst?
It's got electrolytes!
I posted a thread about this a while back, and got a bunch of helpful (And of course many unhelpful) suggestions;
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/708195Really I'm just keeping a supply of hydralyte dissolving tablets that I grab when they're on sale. There have been some reasonably cheap Gatorade deals recently too, which are a tasty treat. Works for me, and I still feel decent after longer workouts.
The cheap option (usually situated next to the Powerade brand) from Coles or Woollies has worked well for me. I've taken the powder on multiday hikes and they help a LOT in the heat
I actually really want to try this. Need to plan a trip overseas to Indonesia or something 😂
You get the powder on amazon
Pocari Sweat can be found in asian marts. Big bottles of the stuff are usually located in the drinks section.
You can also go to iHerb and buy powder mixes. I recently bought NutriBiotic Essential Electrolytes, 100 capsules ($15.34 ea) but I haven't tried them yet.
https://au.iherb.com/c/hydration-electrolytes
On the Intermittent fasting reddit wiki, there is a recipe for making your own electrolytes solution called Snake Juice, which is
Official Recipe:
1/2 tsp sodium chloride (table/himalayan)
1 tsp potassium (NoSalt or Nu-Salt)
1 tsp sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
1/2 tsp magnesium sulphate (food grade epsom salt)
2 L water
Note that the form of magnesium here (epsom salt) can cause gastrointestinal distress and may work better for you to leave it out and simply take a magnesium supplement in pill form.Pocari tastes good, but partly because it's got MSG as one of the ingredients.
It's probably way too concentrated as store-bought, but I've only ever used it as a supplement to the usual water anyway.
It's not really an electrolyte drink for sports, it's more like the usual Powerade/Gatorade sports drinks, i.e. an excuse for people to drink a shitload of sugar without the guilt of chugging a Coke.
i run trails and ultras and was using tailwind, fixx for a while before i realised they are expensive sugar solutions.
i have a bunch of magnesium and calcium salts from home-brewing i measure out now with sugar, along with lo-salt (potassium and sodium), sodium citrate into a mix of sugar
but honestly you'd probably just find it easier to add some lo-salt and lemon juice / lemon cordial to water - that's gonna have a fair amount of citric acid and citrate in it. Calcium and magnesium shouldn't be enough to worry about if your diet is alright until you start doing very long runs
Yeah nothing as major as an ultra. Usually 8km or 10km with a rare 16/21K long run
I looked into it last year and for the $/ingredients found the tablets from Aldi were best value. They come in a tube that looks like Hydralyte.
What is the name of the tablets
Essential Health Electrolyte with flavours such as orange, lemon-line & grape.
Grape being the only flavor that doesn't taste like the smell of insecticide.
No idea if it has been helping me or not but tried doing staminade for a bit and the taste is good but feel no different honestly.
I think I should be mainly eating banana though to stop cramps.
Hey something to know is that effervesant/fizzing type tabs or powders can cause bloating for some.
It does for me, painfully so.
If so look for products that dont fizz.
CheersDrink Snake Juice
What’s better about them? Flavour?
Musashi had ching a very long time ago. It was so good they removed it.
I couldn't get an answer from them why they removed it.
I feel your pain, i work in a very humid and hot environment and find that any simple electrolyte sachet will work, plain water will pretty much ko you. But in the end of the day you just need salt, table salt also works just as good as brought salts but I like the little bit of a sugar hit to also encourage ample water intake.
rehydrate = water
.