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Old 11-08-22, 12:15 AM
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canklecat
Me duelen las nalgas
 
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Bulk Supplements. That's the name of the company. I've bought several products from them, no complaints: niacin, amino acids, plain whey protein, spinach or turkesterone, several others.

Generally I buy ready-made electrolytes because some brands are already very inexpensive and provided in handy Mylar packets which resist sweat or rain, so I can tuck them into my seat bag, jersey pocket, etc. I usually buy Propel and Kroger brand electrolyte/activity drink powders, and add a little table sugar. Sugar helps with osmolarity to rapidly absorb water so it doesn't sit in the stomach and cause bloating or even vomiting. Per World Health Organization specifications for oral rehydration supplements, it doesn't take much sugar to aid digestion, so it shouldn't be a factor for folks who are trying to minimize sugar intake for dietary reasons other, perhaps, than diabetes. DripDrop makes an excellent ORS, per WHO specs, but it's pricey. I carry one or two packets in my seat bag for emergencies (and I've seen it work twice on fellow cyclists who suffered heat exhaustion, dehydration and stomach upset), but usually mix cheaper stuff in my bottles to drink on the road.

I suppose I could mix my own from scratch cheaper, but I couldn't economically package them the same way. When electrolyte powders or tablets are exposed to humidity they become gummy. That's why I stopped buying NUUN and similar tablets. After a few weeks in a seat bag, an opened plastic tube of NUUN tablets turned to gummy clumps that were hard to shake out of the tube and took forever to dissolve in water. I've never had that problem with Mylar packets of drink mixes.

Availability and prices vary for Bulk Supplements products, especially since 2020 due to the ongoing shipping issues (not entirely related to the pandemic), and pandemic effects on productivity. Most raw supplements are sourced from China, which continues to struggle with productivity and shipping.

Some items I've intended to buy from BS have been in short supply. Notably DHEA. It might be due to some criticisms that the DHEA sold by Bulk Supplements was too concentrated for consumer use and dosages needed to be measured with a calibrated scale (like, 1/16 to 1/32 of a teaspoon or less). Most ready-to-use DHEA is heavily cut/diluted with inert powders, to reach a dosage of 25-100 mg. in a gel capsule containing 250-500 mg total powder, considered the safe range for humans. I'm not sure whether Bulk Supplements withdrew their bulk DHEA powder for that reason, or whether it's simply unavailable. So study all available research from credible sources before taking supplemental hormones and precursors, even though these are generally unregulated in the US if we aren't competing professionally or in amateur events where testing is done.
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