Any of you make your own sports drinks?

BailMeOut

There are loads of recipes out there. I cannot stand the store stuff as it gives me stomach pains on long cycles and seems like you just need water, salt, citrus and a little sugar.

Any of you make your own for your long cycles? Love to get some ideas that work.

Thanks!

ford2600

BailMeOut wrote: »

There are loads of recipes out there. I cannot stand the store stuff as it gives me stomach pains on long cycles and seems like you just need water, salt, citrus and a little sugar.

Any of you make your own for your long cycles? Love to get some ideas that work.

Thanks!

Water and pineapple juice. It works for Sky

Inspector Coptoor

Mi wadi lime cordial
Tea spoon of sugar
Pinch of salt
Add water.

Squidgy Black

Powerade and water, 50/50. I can get 3 bidons full out of 2 bottles of Powerade, it's easy on the stomach, re-hydrates faster than water alone.

Alek

water (brita)
honey
lemon
big pinch of salt or a High5 neutral tab.

Lumen

I have used maltodextrin in the past, bought in bulk from myprotein.com

Now I would probably opt for a non-cariogenic sucrose replacement product such as isomaltulose (Palatinose).

http://www.myprotein.com/sports-nutrition/palatinose/10530252.html

If you want to add protein, consider whey isolate rather than whey. It's more expensive but less likely to cause GI distress.

Bear in mind that your body can only digest something like 30-60g/hr of carbs. If you consume more that that bad things will happen.

Or just eat real food.

Or train yourself to burn fat.

ROK ON

Before I go on a cycle I fill my bidon with water.

I do not add anything to this water and I am coming to the view that no one needs to add anything to the water.
This hydration strategy gets me through commuting, pootling about, training, races, long rides, short rides in all weathers.

Sports nutrition is a marketing myth.
I really don't know what type of riding folks are doing where the ABSOLUTELY need to consume the crap that people consume.

BailMeOut

ROK ON wrote: »

Before I go on a cycle I fill my bidon with water.

I do not add anything to this water and I am coming to the view that no one needs to add anything to the water.
This hydration strategy gets me through commuting, pootling about, training, races, long rides, short rides in all weathers.

Sports nutrition is a marketing myth.
I really don't know what type of riding folks are doing where the ABSOLUTELY need to consume the crap that people consume.

I did say that I only need for long cycles and I 100% agree with you about the store sports drinks. I do find however that I start to get cramps in backs of legs and I know I am lacking in salt as my skin is all salty on very long runs.

On next long cycle (Rebel 160) I am going to try the pnch of salt, lemon juice and sugar trick. Just want to start testing and getting used to now. No intention of adding anything else.

Raam

I usually just go with water if it's a short spin. If it's a longer one then I pop a High-5 zero tab. They taste nice.

C3PO

I've also come around to ROK ON's point of view! Water in my bottles and some Fig Rolls or similar in my pockets and off I go! During races I do use gels (and I notice an instant lift from them) but usually with pretty unpleasant result later. In really hot weather on longer spins/races I might throw a "Zero" tab into the bottles but again my stomach notices the difference!

ROK ON

No need to justify you madness to me.

I have done 200k cycles with 4000m of actual climbing in 44degree heat having had a few slices of bread and water.
I was sick so I could not eat or drink anything else.

It opened my eyes about what people actually need.

I simply don't believe that we need anything more than a bit of real food and some water.
I don't care what science says anylonger.

I am no longer wasting money, I am not bonking or dehydrating and I am not getting slower.

It's all nonsense.

Panyagua ftw

C3PO

ROK ON wrote: »

I am no longer wasting money, I am not bonking or dehydrating and I am not getting slower.

I agree wholeheartedly with the 1st three .... unfortunately I'm definitely getting slower!!

Jawgap

Half juice, half water - bit of salt.

i went through a phase of having cold green tea and lemon in one bidon - when it's proper cold it's quite refreshing, but when it gets luke warm, it's pretty minging!

Seve OB

stetyrrell wrote: »

Powerade and water, 50/50. I can get 3 bidons full out of 2 bottles of Powerade, it's easy on the stomach, re-hydrates faster than water alone.

not true in the slightest

ROK ON wrote: »

Before I go on a cycle I fill my bidon with water.

I do not add anything to this water and I am coming to the view that no one needs to add anything to the water.
This hydration strategy gets me through commuting, pootling about, training, races, long rides, short rides in all weathers.

Sports nutrition is a marketing myth.
I really don't know what type of riding folks are doing where the ABSOLUTELY need to consume the crap that people consume.

BANG ON - ROK ON

I watched one of these consumer shows recently on TV, can't remember what it was, but I think it was actually an Irish one, looking at obese kids. Something sticks in the mind about how the marketing campaigns of lucozade / powerade etc get into their heads to make them think they must be drinking all this stuff before and during their workouts.

They got the sports science people in and did a load of tests, think they used footballers, but all sports are the same really when it comes to keeping yourself hydrated, so the same results should be pretty similar no matter what the discipline.

result was that if you fill yourself up with all sorts of sugary drinks, you are doing yourself no favours at all. Water was king, did everything that the sports drinks did, but with the added benefit of no fattening additives

I would normally bring just water with me nowadays when going to the Gym / playing football / shorter cycles. For longer workouts, say cycle spins over 40k, or even a 4-5 hour round of golf, i do feel a small bit, maybe half a bottle of lucozade sport gives me a bit of a sugar rush and energy lift..... however after watching that programme, I realise it could well be in my head and i would be better off sticking with the good aul Uisce and maybe a cereal bar!


Interestingly I watched another show the other night, something about what's in Britans supremarket trolleys, and they looked at coffee. A cup of coffee, an hour before your workout, actually produces a better workout........ I'm sure you can watch it on the Iplayer... it was on wednesday evening

Squidgy Black

stevieob wrote: »

not true in the slightest

It's a hypotonic mix, which replaces lost fluids due to sweat faster than water.

check_six

Long cycles - bidon of water with two or three teaspoons of sugar, pinch of salt + extra bidon with plain water + fig rolls + bananas

Short cycles - bidon of water

Darkstrike

I've so far only ever gone on short trips, and all I ever use is water, but I've gotten used to only having water at all during the day, no matter what I'm doing. Feel tonnes better than when I was guzzling energy drinks, soft drinks, whatever.

Though, when I do get stuck into long cycles, from reading here it seems it might be worth throwing a dash of salt or a spoon of sugar in my water.

ford2600

stetyrrell wrote: »

It's a hypotonic mix, which replaces lost fluids due to sweat faster than water.

It's a mystery how we ever evolved and managed to make it out of Africa at all

Alek

ford2600 wrote: »

It's a mystery how we ever evolved and managed to make it out of Africa at all

On the other hand we didn't cycle out of it at speed

07Lapierre

ROK ON wrote: »

Sports nutrition is a marketing myth.
I really don't know what type of riding folks are doing where the ABSOLUTELY need to consume the crap that people consume.

One is called "La Marmotte"..Tried it on just water....not nice!

studiorat

Raam wrote: »

I usually just go with water if it's a short spin. If it's a longer one then I pop a High-5 zero tab. They taste nice.

Same here. Grapefruit High-5, tend to drink a bit more with the flavoring in it.

ford2600 wrote: »

It's a mystery how we ever evolved and managed to make it out of Africa at all

We nearly didn't.

madtheory

50/50 fruit juice and water works fine.

ford2600 wrote: »

Water and pineapple juice. It works for Sky

Yup! And I noticed Andy Murray was eating bananas and drinking water.

stetyrrell wrote: »

It's a hypotonic mix, which replaces lost fluids due to sweat faster than water.

The word hypotonic has been hijacked by sports drink marketing departments. Compared to body fluids, water with fruit juice in it is hypotonic as well.

C3PO wrote: »

During races I do use gels (and I notice an instant lift from them) but usually with pretty unpleasant result later.

I think that's probably the caffeine?

Anyways, these guys are good at mythbusting using evidence:
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/11/sports-drinks-sweat-and-electrolytes_27.html

Sports products in general are woowoo:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18863293

kumate_champ07

ROK ON wrote: »

No need to justify you madness to me.

I have done 200k cycles with 4000m of actual climbing in 44degree heat having had a few slices of bread and water.
I was sick so I could not eat or drink anything else.

It opened my eyes about what people actually need.

I simply don't believe that we need anything more than a bit of real food and some water.
I don't care what science says anylonger.

I am no longer wasting money, I am not bonking or dehydrating and I am not getting slower.

It's all nonsense.

Panyagua ftw

but are you getting faster?

ROK ON

kumate_champ07 wrote: »

but are you getting faster?

Yes, but I dont think that is down to water alone. What I am saying is that eating damn all on the bike and drinking only water is not making me slower across a variety of cycling.

Captain Havoc

I'm in the water camp also. First thing I tell the beginners is if you're trying to lose weight ditch the sports drinks. I'm also against gels and supplements unless of course your doctor recommends them.

BailMeOut

Hi - I am the OP and want to make clear that I hate store sports drinks too but my legs do cramp while cycling long distances and this is to due to sweating out all the salts in my body. I am convinced that shop sports drinks and gels upset my stomach so I stay away from them. Drinking plain water will not fix cramping no matter how much plain water you drink so you need replenish salt from somewhere. I sometimes eat a bag of crisps during a long cycle to keep cramping away but I now think adding a pinch of salt to one of my water bottles is the answer I am looking for here.

Thanks everyone for your advise. What I will do is test this and see if it works and get back with you all.

bcmf

BailMeOut wrote: »

make clear that I hate store sports drinks too but my legs do cramp while cycling long distances and this is to due to sweating out all the salts in my body. Drinking plain water will not fix cramping no matter how much plain water you drink so you need replenish salt from somewhere.

Di-oralyte.
Replaces the salts you lose.Puts a halt to dehydration and cramping. Designed for easy digestion. Cheap.
Not great tasting but you cant have everything.
I used 750 mls last week down over Mt. leinster and that other sneaky climb and worked great in humid/sunny/hot wether

Captain Havoc

BailMeOut wrote: »

Hi - I am the OP and want to make clear that I hate store sports drinks too but my legs do cramp while cycling long distances and this is to due to sweating out all the salts in my body. I am convinced that shop sports drinks and gels upset my stomach so I stay away from them. Drinking plain water will not fix cramping no matter how much plain water you drink so you need replenish salt from somewhere. I sometimes eat a bag of crisps during a long cycle to keep cramping away but I now think adding a pinch of salt to one of my water bottles is the answer I am looking for here.

Thanks everyone for your advise. What I will do is test this and see if it works and get back with you all.

Try electrolyte tablets in your water before and during.

Jogathon

stevieob wrote: »

Interestingly I watched another show the other night, something about what's in Britans supremarket trolleys, and they looked at coffee. A cup of coffee, an hour before your workout, actually produces a better workout........ I'm sure you can watch it on the Iplayer... it was on wednesday evening

I have always made a cup of coffee to drink while driving to a match and I swear by it. Pre-hydrate with water all day, then coffee for buzz before kick off.

When running marathons I couldn't use gels so drank water, ate soft white bread with butter (I had people stationed around the course) and had a pack of fruit pastilles in my bum bag. Water is king.

Satdog

100mls of orange juice for the potassium, pinch of salt for the sodium, spoon of sugar and top up with water. Been using this recipe for 30 years, saves a fortune on sport drinks and is easy on the stomach.

madtheory

BailMeOut wrote: »

...my legs do cramp while cycling long distances and this is to due to sweating out all the salts in my body.

No, that's a myth. Here's a good article explaining why. It's a long read but there is plenty of evidence presented:
http://www.sportsscientists.com/2007/11/muscle-cramps-part-1-theories-and.html

Basically your muscles are cramping because you're pushing then too hard.

I suggest you see a physiotherapist for advice (beware that some of them are not up to date on the science!). You may need a stretching routine, you could probably do with some strength work in the gym, and a training routine on the bike that will build you up. Do you know any cycling coaches? Are you in a club?

Alek

Well, some calf cramps I used to get after doing the Sutton hill at full effort disappeared since I've started drinking a bottle of High5 electrolyte an hour before. I'm still pushing as hard as I can.

mirv

alkos wrote: »

Well, some calf cramps I used to get after doing the Sutton hill at full effort disappeared since I've started drinking a bottle of High5 electrolyte an hour before. I'm still pushing as hard as I can.

That's called getting stronger.

This ad in particular is annoying - it literally tells that you need to guzzle down lucozade in order to sit on your arse to do spreadsheets.

BailMeOut

just back from cycle and I added a tiny pinch of salt to my plain water (from a brita) and did not really notice it in there so going to try this for a while.

madtheory

alkos wrote: »

Well, some calf cramps I used to get after doing the Sutton hill at full effort disappeared since I've started drinking a bottle of High5 electrolyte an hour before. I'm still pushing as hard as I can.

Yup, that's because you're getting stronger. Correlation does not imply causation.