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DIY Sports drink

by rob39
Tue, May 31, 2016 12:28
14

If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.

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14 comments

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freebsd_frank | 8 years ago
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If I was the OP, I'd replace half the sugar with glucose.

Sugar is a disaccharide with a lower GI (glycaemic index) than glucose. i.e.
it's slower to raise your blood glucose level. Glucose goes to work pretty
much straightaway as it doesn't require the additional step that sugar does to
break it down. If you get the bonk (aka hypoglycaemia), you want glucose.

I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and have never bothered with energy drinks.
I used to bake my own cake to a recipe I got off the 'net on a cycling
newsgroup but I've lost the recipe. Nowadays I take sweets (usually wine gums)
and glucose tablets with me. Also a bottle of water.

With a bit of luck my ride will take in a cafe half way round. Cake!

I cycled in SW Australia during their summer. The only thing that changed was
that I needed 2 bottles of water if I did ~50 miles whereas I can usually
stretch out one bottle for a similar distance over here.

Salt? I wouldn't bother with it unless I was doing long rides, several days in
succession during hot weather. My understanding is that pretty much everyone
gets more than enough from a normal diet.

With regards the poster who gets headaches. It's unlikely to have anything to
do with sodium. Some people get headaches after exertion, so just keep taking
the paracetamol (if it works):

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/triggers-exercise

A banana is probably a good idea; tennis players seem keen on them.

 

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Simon E replied to freebsd_frank | 8 years ago
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freebsd_frank wrote:

With regards the poster who gets headaches. It's unlikely to have anything to do with sodium. Some people get headaches after exertion, so just keep taking
the paracetamol (if it works):

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/triggers-exercise

I have read similarly, hence my initial response. However, if the poster finds an electrolyte drink genuinely makes a difference then I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

Most of the intelligent discussion I've seen relates to drinking too much water during exercise, which can prompt on headaches or nausea:

http://www.runnersworld.com/sweat-science/how-to-avoid-overdrinking

http://sweatscience.com/drinking-during-exercise-maybe-you-dont-need-as-...

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FatAndFurious replied to Simon E | 8 years ago
2 likes

Simon E wrote:

I have read similarly, hence my initial response. However, if the poster finds an electrolyte drink genuinely makes a difference then I wouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

That's the basics of it. Post-exercise headaches had been with me for over 20 years. The GP couldn't find anything amiss and repeated the "drink enough water" mantra. 

I worked my way through a variety of possible triggers. I tried ditching the gels, tried different gel brands to see if additives might be to blame (aspartame etc), went to water only on the same basis re energy drinks, eat fruit and non-processed food only. There was no real difference - the headaches were an unpleasant constant, coming on some 1 or 2 hours after getting home. 

Electrolyte tabs were just the next thing to try, and I am genuinely relieved that I avoid the headaches completely and without resorting to pharmacology. 

YMMV 1

 

Avatar
Jimnm replied to freebsd_frank | 8 years ago
0 likes

freebsd_frank wrote:

If I was the OP, I'd replace half the sugar with glucose.

Sugar is a disaccharide with a lower GI (glycaemic index) than glucose. i.e.
it's slower to raise your blood glucose level. Glucose goes to work pretty
much straightaway as it doesn't require the additional step that sugar does to
break it down. If you get the bonk (aka hypoglycaemia), you want glucose.

I'm an insulin dependent diabetic and have never bothered with energy drinks.
I used to bake my own cake to a recipe I got off the 'net on a cycling
newsgroup but I've lost the recipe. Nowadays I take sweets (usually wine gums)
and glucose tablets with me. Also a bottle of water.

With a bit of luck my ride will take in a cafe half way round. Cake!

I cycled in SW Australia during their summer. The only thing that changed was
that I needed 2 bottles of water if I did ~50 miles whereas I can usually
stretch out one bottle for a similar distance over here.

Salt? I wouldn't bother with it unless I was doing long rides, several days in
succession during hot weather. My understanding is that pretty much everyone
gets more than enough from a normal diet.

With regards the poster who gets headaches. It's unlikely to have anything to
do with sodium. Some people get headaches after exertion, so just keep taking
the paracetamol (if it works):

http://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/guide/triggers-exercise

A banana is probably a good idea; tennis players seem keen on them.

 

bananas are my favourite too. Potassium rich. Monkeys like em lol 

Avatar
Nat Jas Moe | 8 years ago
0 likes

Ingredients for Homemade Sports Drinks (1 liter):

• Pure organic fruit juice concentrate (200-240 ml or 8 oz)
• Water or Green Tea (to 1 liter)
• Salt (1/4 - 1/3 teaspoon)

Homemade Energy Electrolyte Gel:

• 7 tablespoons of honey)
• 1 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses*
• 1/8 tsp of table salt

 

I use molasses as the base of a sports drink because of its electrolyte content. It works well but the taste is something to get used to. 

Avatar
barbarus | 8 years ago
0 likes

Honey,fruit juice and a small amount of lo salt works for me.

Avatar
cbutler | 8 years ago
0 likes

I favour bananas , holland & Barrett nut & seed&fruit bars with 50% orange+50% water mix

on my daily commute.

Avatar
Simon E | 8 years ago
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Unless it's really hot and you're sweating lots for an extended perod then adding salt to drinks is unnecessary IMHO. The value of electrolytes during exercise has been chronically hyped up by the supplement industry.

Fruit juice + water + honey? Or instead of honey add some unflavoured maltodextrin.

But why not drink water or a weaker mix? And add easily digested simple foods like bananas, dried fruit or this very simple DIY bar from MBR mag:

For the ultimate in simplicity, make a raw energy bar using this formula: 1/3 dates (Medjool dates work best), 1/3 dried fruit, 1/3 nuts/seeds. Mix thoroughly in a food processor, press firmly into a baking tray, refrigerate and cut into slices.

You could easily adapt to riding 'on empty' and have a reduced carb intake.

Avatar
FatAndFurious replied to Simon E | 8 years ago
1 like

Simon E wrote:

Unless it's really hot and you're sweating lots for an extended perod then adding salt to drinks is unnecessary IMHO.

I thought this was the case too. However, everyone is different and in my case, I found that unless I added an electrolyte tab to my energy drink, I'd _always_ get a wracking headache post-ride. I'd do a couple of hours on a warm day - enough to bring on a sweat but not dripping off the nose - and that would be me on the paracetamol in the evening. 

Thinking  it was dehydration, I consciously tried to drink more but that made it worse. Some academic research suggested an alternative possibilty of hypoanatremia - low sodium levels. Basically, I was sweating out more salt than I was putting back in, and drinking more just diluted the concentration level further.

So, bottom line - salts always for me. I put in one Zero tab per litre of energy drink. The salts in the tab plus the salts already in the drink seem to balance me out just fine and the headaches don't happen any more.

Obviously, treat this comment with all the scientific respect that "bloke on the internet said..." deserves. 

Avatar
Simon E replied to FatAndFurious | 8 years ago
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neildmoss wrote:

Simon E wrote:

Unless it's really hot and you're sweating lots for an extended perod then adding salt to drinks is unnecessary IMHO.

I thought this was the case too. However, everyone is different and in my case, I found that unless I added an electrolyte tab to my energy drink, I'd _always_ get a wracking headache post-ride. I'd do a couple of hours on a warm day - enough to bring on a sweat but not dripping off the nose - and that would be me on the paracetamol in the evening. 

Thinking  it was dehydration, I consciously tried to drink more but that made it worse. Some academic research suggested an alternative possibilty of hypoanatremia - low sodium levels. Basically, I was sweating out more salt than I was putting back in, and drinking more just diluted the concentration level further.

So, bottom line - salts always for me. I put in one Zero tab per litre of energy drink. The salts in the tab plus the salts already in the drink seem to balance me out just fine and the headaches don't happen any more.

Obviously, treat this comment with all the scientific respect that "bloke on the internet said..." deserves. 

This is very interesting, thanks for posting it!

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 8 years ago
0 likes

A lemon, pinch of salt and your preferred amount of sugar would be lovely, but probably nearly as expensive as a serving of something like SIS Electrolyte drink 1.6kg which works out at around 40 to 80p per ride depending on how much you use. Lemons are pricey, probably over 35p each.

 

I'm going to get some lemons this weekend just for drinks and see how I get on with a lemon/salt/sugar mix. I like the SIS stuff, have tubs of lemon and blackcurrant here, but it lacks that sharpness that you get from a real lemon which I really crave.

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Paul J | 8 years ago
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I use ⅓ to 1 tsp of sodium bicarbonate, a pinch of LoSalt / reduced sodium salt, and 20 to 40 ml of lemon or lime juice.

The sodium bicarbonate will provide the sodium your mix is getting from plain salt. The bicarbonate The LoSalt / reduced-sodium salt provides potassium (the reduced sodium is achieved by replacing with potassium, usually 50% or more). The lemon juice will react with the sodium bicarbonate to form sodium citrate - releasing CO₂ in the process. The remaining bicarbonate / citrate can help act as an acidity buffer in your bloodstream, which may help performance.

You'll notice a lot of sports drinks have sodium citrate as an ingredient. Rather than paying 5 to 10 more, you can just make it at home to taste.

Note, I would err on the side of less sodium. Too much sodium is bad for you, if you have heart problems - in the worst case you could give yourself arrythmias and other serious problems. Also, too salty drinks will just leave you thirsty. Less salt, and a good bit of citric acid via lemon or lime juice, or fruit concentrate, ftw.

I don't put sugar in my drinks. I prefer getting that from solids, e.g. gels, bananas, or even a cheap bag of super-market cola bottles or wine gums works well for me - depending on the stage of the ride.

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rob39 | 8 years ago
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Anyone make thier own sports drink, currently training to ride st 1 of this years tour of Britain 100 mile. Tried Bikeradars mix of 1 litre of warm water, 60g sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and some no added sugar fruit juice to make it taste better. Seemed to do the trick, but 60g sugar??? is that good for you??

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/h ... ink-25744/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_ ... 289704.stm

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/11November/ ... study.aspx

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I am a human replied to rob39 | 8 years ago
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rob39 wrote:

Anyone make thier own sports drink, currently training to ride st 1 of this years tour of Britain 100 mile. Tried Bikeradars mix of 1 litre of warm water, 60g sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and some no added sugar fruit juice to make it taste better. Seemed to do the trick, but 60g sugar??? is that good for you??

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/h ... ink-25744/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/health_ ... 289704.stm

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/11November/ ... study.aspx

I usually go with a half fruit juice, half water mix with a pinch of salt.  That's probably around 40g of sugar in a normal bike bottle, but then we need carbs for energy, so it's definitely not a bad thing!

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