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Electrolytes give me indigestion!

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Electrolytes give me indigestion!

Old 03-05-11, 08:03 PM
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Tony N.
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Electrolytes give me indigestion!

I have tried a multitude of different kinds of energy drinks and they give me indegestion.
It is as if there is too much acid or vitamin c. Anyone else have this problem or have any sugestions. I always drink water but like to carry an extra bottle of something with a little extra for energy on longer rides.
Thanks,
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Old 03-05-11, 08:44 PM
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If it's "energy drinks" like Red Bull or AMP, there's the crazy low pH to contend with similar to colas. Steer clear.

For electrolytes, I use either NUUN tablets in my water bottles or Endurolyte capsules from Hammer Nutrition.
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Old 03-05-11, 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Tony N.
I have tried a multitude of different kinds of energy drinks and they give me indegestion.
It is as if there is too much acid or vitamin c. Anyone else have this problem or have any sugestions. I always drink water but like to carry an extra bottle of something with a little extra for energy on longer rides.
Thanks,
Skip the energy drinks and consume Gatorade diluted to 50 per cent strength with water.
 
Old 03-05-11, 09:36 PM
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+1 on the diluted Gatorade. I don't dilute it as much as Historian, but mix it from powder with extra water. I also like that pretty much any gas station you stop at sells Gatorade if you stop during a longer ride. You can get the powder pretty cheap at Walmart
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Old 03-05-11, 09:46 PM
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+1 on the Nuun. (How do you pronounce that?)

I sorta kinda like Accelerade, but it doesn't like me if I drink it straight. I can't stand the taste of diluted drinks, so I drink X swallows of the Accelerade and X more of water.
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Old 03-05-11, 10:13 PM
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Originally Posted by hammond9705
+1 on the diluted Gatorade. I don't dilute it as much as Historian, but mix it from powder with extra water. I also like that pretty much any gas station you stop at sells Gatorade if you stop during a longer ride. You can get the powder pretty cheap at Walmart
It's too sweet and nothing tastes worse then hot Gatorade, so what I do is mix it 1+1 the day before, leave it in the fridge, then put as many icecubes as I can in the bottle and top up with the cold Gatorade, which leaves it closer to 1+2 - 1+3
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Old 03-05-11, 10:15 PM
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I mix my own and put in the freezer.
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Old 03-05-11, 10:32 PM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb

I sorta kinda like Accelerade, but it doesn't like me if I drink it straight. I can't stand the taste of diluted drinks, so I drink X swallows of the Accelerade and X more of water.
It contains a lot of dairy products. No wonder it bothers you. I can't touch the stuff.
 
Old 03-05-11, 11:16 PM
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I agree on skipping the energy drinks. I had been drinking them for years, just the sugar free ones mostly. Kept telling myself it was for the vitamins. Luckily, I'm not caffeine sensitive. After my knee replacement last November I decided to quit them. And, don't miss them at all. I am drinking more gatorade and G2. During exercise, even Gatorade can be a little thick. If I mix my own, I mix a little thin. Powerade, Propel and similar I don't mind but haven't tried them during exercise. Haven't tried Accelerade yet. Or Nuun.
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Old 03-05-11, 11:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Tony N.
I have tried a multitude of different kinds of energy drinks and they give me indegestion.
It is as if there is too much acid or vitamin c. Anyone else have this problem or have any sugestions. I always drink water but like to carry an extra bottle of something with a little extra for energy on longer rides.
Thanks,
What do you consider "longer rides"? I don't drink anything other than water on something 50 or less. If I do use anything , I use gatorade powder. I mix & drink a bottle then chase it down with a bottle of water.
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Old 03-06-11, 08:41 AM
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On longer riders (randonneuring), I've tried putting Perpetuum in my water bottles, and that seems to work okay.

"Energy" drink is ambiguous. Generally, you need calories in a form you can use. You don't need a bunch of caffeine or exotic ingredients.

I quite often buy chocolate milk when I stop at controls, also.
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Old 03-06-11, 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by StephenH
On longer riders (randonneuring), I've tried putting Perpetuum in my water bottles, and that seems to work okay.

"Energy" drink is ambiguous. Generally, you need calories in a form you can use. You don't need a bunch of caffeine or exotic ingredients.

I quite often buy chocolate milk when I stop at controls, also.
There are two kinda of Energy drinks, there are sports drinks, of which the most common is Gatorade, Powerade and a bunch of similar ones.
There are "cheap high" drinks, like Red Bull, which are often, water, sugar, caffeine, chemical flavouring and colouring agents.

For a cycling clyde, you want to use the first as little as possible, avoid the second. If you are looking at something like a sugar free Gatorade, go to the grocery store, pick up a couple of packets of Crystal Lite or sugar free Kool-aid and use that, for the flavouring, mix it with water then mix that 1+1 for your bottle, you don't need the rest.
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Old 03-06-11, 09:50 AM
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Sorry everyone for the confusion. I meant sports drinks like NUUN,Poweraid, and Gatoraid. I have tired to dilute with water a lot (higher than 50%) and still get the burning in my throat shortly after my first drink. I have the same problem with fruit juices like orange juice, cranberry juice, etc. Beautiful wifey says they have too much ascorbic acid. I like to drink my 50%+ mixter along with my water for any ride above 70 degrees and over an hour long. Miles don't matter to me, it is the time in the saddle that counts as miles may be more or less depending on the hills. Don't ever drink high caffiene drinks like red bull and stay away from soft drinks like coke. Thanks for the replies but delution is what I've been doing with no results. Usually after my workout, I drink Vita CoCo 100% coconut water. It advertises more electrolytes than leading sports drinks and 15 times the potassium but I think it must stay refrigerated. Can't imagine what it would tast like hot on a ride. Beanz, you might want to watch the potassium lost if you ride in hot temps for 50 miles and only drink water. You can lose potassium at an alarmiing rate thru sweat and it takes a while to build it up again. Been there done that.
Thanks again for the replies. Anyone have the acid indigestion with these types of drinks? I have my semi-annual physical this week so will talk to doc about it but don't want another pill to take dailly as advertised on tv.
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Old 03-06-11, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
It contains a lot of dairy products. No wonder it bothers you. I can't touch the stuff.
Not sure I'd call the cheap protein powder in Accelerade a "dairy" product. I dunno what it is, but calling it a "dairy" product is insulting to sour milk, moldy cheese, and rotten eggs everywhere.

Characterizing what Accelerade does to my insides as "indigestion" is a major understatement. "Indigestion" implies a small amount of discomfort, not intestinal cramping and whale songs emanating from my abdomen. And never mind the poison gas attack that attracts more UN inspectors than flies.

And yeah, Gatorade is sickly tasting.

Cytomax tastes a lot better. Cheaper, too.
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Old 03-06-11, 10:40 AM
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This https://www.hammernutrition.com/produ...-energy-drinks

Or https://www.hammernutrition.com/produ...-energy-drinks

Do some research on Hammer products they are pretty clean. They dont overuse sugar or add fructose or most other crap found in "sports drinks"
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Old 03-06-11, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by achoo
Not sure I'd call the cheap protein powder in Accelerade a "dairy" product. I dunno what it is, but calling it a "dairy" product is insulting to sour milk, moldy cheese, and rotten eggs everywhere.

Characterizing what Accelerade does to my insides as "indigestion" is a major understatement. "Indigestion" implies a small amount of discomfort, not intestinal cramping and whale songs emanating from my abdomen. And never mind the poison gas attack that attracts more UN inspectors than flies.
That protein powder is whey protein. So yar if one is sensitive to milk, I'd recon they would be uber sensitive to whey.
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Old 03-06-11, 11:30 AM
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Take Tums with you and chomp on them before drinking your gatorade. They are a good source of calcium and antiacid.
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Old 03-06-11, 11:37 AM
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+1 on Endurolytes.

In my marathon and ultramarathon running days, I drank watre and used S!Caps and Ultra from Succeed

Ended up going back to water, gels, fig newtons, and Endurolytes.

The Hammer HEED is pretty good, but some folks can't handle the sweetener they use (Xylitol.) I think I still have some here and am looking forward to trying it on the bike in an insulated bottle.

If you're looking for something for calories (with protein,) Hammer is making the Perpetuem Solids you can carry, chew, and drink water.
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Old 03-06-11, 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Tony N.
Sorry everyone for the confusion. I meant sports drinks like NUUN,Poweraid, and Gatoraid.
I wouldn't put NUUN in the same category as Power/Gatorade. NUUN is sugar free.

Originally Posted by achoo
Not sure I'd call the cheap protein powder in Accelerade a "dairy" product. I dunno what it is, but calling it a "dairy" product is insulting to sour milk, moldy cheese, and rotten eggs everywhere.
Right on the Accelerade website it says: "Contains milk and soy products. Produced in a factory that makes (a zillion other things people are allergic to.)"
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Old 03-06-11, 05:30 PM
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What I should have ask I guess is does any of you experience this with your electrolyte sports drinks and what do you do?
Thanks for the help and I will give a try to Tums or something similar. Will ask the doc Thursday. If I have to take the one a day OTC type pill, I would like it to be something that will enhance my health or add to my health regimin. I have heard that Tums may cause kidney stones. My dad chewed Choose all his life like an addict and had kydney and gall stones his whole life. Just sayin.
Thanks for all replies. You guys are the best.
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Old 03-06-11, 05:41 PM
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For many years I had problems with just plain ole water giving me indigestion. I learned to drink the water warm. Warmer than tap water and my problems went away. Otherwise water in it's pure form I had problems.
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Old 03-06-11, 05:50 PM
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well it probably most certainly has to do with the pH of the crap. stomach has to digest it before it can use it. try COCONUT WATER. I never drink Gatorwaste only water and coconut water is to die for... love that stuff. and it has the correct pH...
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Old 03-06-11, 07:46 PM
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what did we all do before Gatorade. WATER. I work HARD outside in the heat and humidity. Nothing but water. If you need a little boost try gummy bears. If you have some issues that cause you to need potassium while you ride than you made need to do something different but otherwise just good old water.
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Old 03-06-11, 09:35 PM
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I remember an article from a few years ago about the Gatorade/Sports Drink topic, no not PepsiCo doctors. the final idea was that only top tier marathon/distance runners could benefit from these drink. that most normal people take hours for the ingredients to be digested (de-hydration from digestion) and normal physiological replacement without the need for a replacement drink. that warm (environment temperature) water was the best fluid as it allows the electrolytes to get to where they are needed. as cold water needs to be heated prior to it being used as well... i never drink cold stuff... once you switch you cannot go back...
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Old 03-06-11, 09:49 PM
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Hammer Nutrition HEED and/or Enduralytes or Perpetuem, In summer 100 degree rides, 2 bottles heed during ride and an enduralyte cap at halfway point on rides greater than 50 miles and avg speed > 17mph. For 70 mile rides and above then perpetuem for a bit o protein, in lieu of one heed bottle, add the water and mix it at the halfway spot. And lots of water. Gatorade makes me sick also.
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