Nutrition dilemma - looking for help

Duffman'05

Where I'm at
I'm training for a standard distance triathlon some time this summer
I want to avoid any liquids with sugar (dentist's orders! ) but I obviously need to keep my glucose levels up during training/racing

What I've tried so far
breaking chewable glucose tablets into pieces small enough to swallow with water

What I'd appreciate help/suggestions with
Capsules of liquid glucose, similar to cod liver oil capsules - anybody know of any?
A drink to go for to maintain electrolyte balance as I step up my training into longer sessions
Most importantly - Are there any guides or rules of thumb as to what ratios of glucose and/or electrolytes to water I should be consuming? Seeing as I will probably have to work out my own regimen of electrolyte solution combined with glucose tablets rather than just picking up a lucozade.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Casula

I've raced Olympics in the past on High5 Zero Sugar Electrolyte tablets diluted in water and PB'd on certain courses. Had a few gels in back pocket but never used them. Nice to have them there as a bit of insurance though. Probably worth experimenting with in training before going all out in a race and running out of gas. You'll be surprised how hard and far you can go before the blood sugars become an issue.

Duffman'05 wrote: »

Where I'm at
I'm training for a standard distance triathlon some time this summer
I want to avoid any liquids with sugar (dentist's orders! ) but I obviously need to keep my glucose levels up during training/racing

What I've tried so far
breaking chewable glucose tablets into pieces small enough to swallow with water

What I'd appreciate help/suggestions with
Capsules of liquid glucose, similar to cod liver oil capsules - anybody know of any?
A drink to go for to maintain electrolyte balance as I step up my training into longer sessions
Most importantly - Are there any guides or rules of thumb as to what ratios of glucose and/or electrolytes to water I should be consuming? Seeing as I will probably have to work out my own regimen of electrolyte solution combined with glucose tablets rather than just picking up a lucozade.

Any help would be much appreciated!

sconhome

Duffman'05 wrote: »

Where I'm at
I'm training for a standard distance triathlon some time this summer
I want to avoid any liquids with sugar (dentist's orders! ) but I obviously need to keep my glucose levels up during training/racing

What I've tried so far
breaking chewable glucose tablets into pieces small enough to swallow with water

What I'd appreciate help/suggestions with
Capsules of liquid glucose, similar to cod liver oil capsules - anybody know of any?
A drink to go for to maintain electrolyte balance as I step up my training into longer sessions
Most importantly - Are there any guides or rules of thumb as to what ratios of glucose and/or electrolytes to water I should be consuming? Seeing as I will probably have to work out my own regimen of electrolyte solution combined with glucose tablets rather than just picking up a lucozade.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Ok without dipping into the whole you don't need to eat anything discussion to address some points for you:

Breaking the glucose tablets and swallowing is the wrong way to get that sugar into your system - let them dissolve in your mouth and the sugars will be absorbed right into your bloodstream quicker.

Electrolytes are minerals in a flavoured tablet. There will be no calories attached but there will be sweeteners involved in them.

You can buy prepackaged gels which contain sugars but I'd suggest an approach which is more solid food orientated and timing rather than instantaneous blood sugars.

Clarification needed: is your dentist saying cut out a 'sports-drinks-as-thirst quencher' habit rather than no liquid sugars?
What is wrong with a sugar based specific drink like Hight 5 or Accelerade during the events, you will usually get fruit afterwards or clean your teeth?
Bananas are a great source of sugar, can you plan to eat these on the bike?

Enduro

Duffman'05 wrote: »

Where I'm at
I'm training for a standard distance triathlon some time this summer
I want to avoid any liquids with sugar (dentist's orders! ) but I obviously need to keep my glucose levels up during training/racing

Someone should say it at some point, so let it be me...

It shouldn't be obvious that you need to keep your glucose levels up during racing/training. If you're going to be competing for more than 2:40 then there are very strong arguments that it would be better to be a more effective fat-burner than to be totally reliant on sugars, and change your training to develop your fat-burning engine (And similar arguments that it would be much healhtier as well, with dental issues being an obvious gain... been there, done that!).

sconhome

Enduro wrote: »

Someone should say it at some point, so let it be me...

I was leaving it very much up to you Enduro

siochain

Might be worth looking into using coconut oil or MCT oil both can be found in capsule form. Coconut oil is part MCT and other goodies. Excellent source of energy.

Shedite27

Probably much use for racing for but if you need sugar drinks but are looking to minimize the effect on your teeth, use a straw, tends to get most of the sugar into you while bypassing your teeth.