Electrolyte Tabs, How To Use Them??

[OCRoadie]

Howdy All-
As the warm weather approaches in So Cal, I have a question regarding electrolyte supplements. I have never used tablets in the past, but soon I will be attempting my first doulbe century as well as some "Death Ride" type events (100+ miles/ 12,000 feet climbing). I have ordered a bottle of Succeed Electrolyte/Buffer tabs. I am curious how many and how often I should take these on long/hot endurance rides. Each tab contains 344 mg of sodium and 21 mg of potassium. I read that an acclimated cyclist will lose on average 1200 mg of sodium and 230 mg of potassium per hour (I do not know body weight/fat etc. for this ratio). Currently my drink mix, gels etc. are supplying me with about 500 mg of sodium and 75 mg of potassium per hour. On long organized rides, I am probably getting more than this from rest stop food (I stick to bananas, fig newtons, pbj and cliff bars). Is one tablet per hour reasonable to start with? I really don't have any idea, I also don't know how easy it is to overload on electrolytes or what the consequences are. What would be the limits as to how much sodium/potassium one would want to consume per hour. I am 6'2" 165 lbs and lean if this helps perscribe a "magic" number. I appreciate any info, especially if you have experience with the Succeed brand. Thanks...Pat

 

[Cheesy]

Just as a guess, for myself, I would consider 2 plus the drink per hour.

What I would probably do in reality is add extra salt to the drink, and eat a banana every now and then. A medium banana contains 422mg of potassium according to the
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
As a comparison, Gatorade endurance which is formulated for endurance use has about 800mg sodium and 360mg of sodium per litre. I've never used it though, so I can't comment.

 

[OCRoadie]

Just as a guess, for myself, I would consider 2 plus the drink per hour.

What I would probably do in reality is add extra salt to the drink, and eat a banana every now and then. A medium banana contains 422mg of potassium according to the
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
As a comparison, Gatorade endurance which is formulated for endurance use has about 800mg sodium and 360mg of sodium per litre. I've never used it though, so I can't comment.

Thanks-
I normally would agree with the salt & banana. On regular rides that are 80 miles+, endurance drink and foods high in potassium work pretty well for me. My inquiry about the electrolyte tabs is more directed towards prolonlged rides in the heat (6-12 hours in heat reaching 95 degrees). I am concerned on these rides about keeping hydrated and a proper chemical balance. How easy or hard is it to overload with sodium and potassium and what are the side effects? I know a heavy overdose of sodium and I assume potassium can lead to death, but I don't plan on consuming extreme amounts, but could use some advice on what to try. Thanks...

 

[Cheesy]

Sorry - I can't offer any further direct advice. Only guesses etc from my experience.

However, I would think it VERY unlikely that you would overdose. I think in 6-12 hours, without excercise, you could happily eat 10 medium bananas without overdosing on postassium - that is over 4g of potassium! Similarly with sodium - you would have to be eating table salt by the spoonful for it to become harmful. I would guess the symptoms of overdose would be very similar to dehydration.

On a long, hard ride, have a look at how much salt encrusts your face, helmet, glasses, jersey etc. One of the big problems with long rides in the heat is that sports drinks, especially as they get warm taste very sickly, and not terribly pleasant.

I'm not sure if you've been in any ultraendurance type events, but I can assure you that if you rely on drinks, bars and tablets, you will almost certainly be craving some sort of solid food. If you have a support crew, and can make stops of 10-15min or more, I've always found pasta or noodles to be fantastic. In the warm weather, you might find something like cooked, then chilled instant noodles keep you going.

If you don't want to stop for anything more than essential toilet breaks, or you don't have a support crew/food options, bananas might be the trick, or a honey sandwich stuffed in a jersey pocket.