ELECTROLYTES

Electrolytes are found in sports drinks and are for re-hydrating the body after extreme exercise. Most drinks contain sodium and potassium salts to replenish the body’s own water and electrolyte levels. They also have large amounts of carbohydrates to provide energy.

I used to use Emergen-c, but after a few days I was normally swollen. It is a good product, but not what I needed for days on end.

Without the correct balance of these minerals, you will not be able to get the full effect of an extreme sports drink. Hammer Nutrition delivers this better than anyone I know, in their product Endurolytes.

They are not the equivalent of sodium alone. An effective drink should have a hearty balance of sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium and potassium, manganese, vitamin B-6, and L-Tyrosine.

My only complaint with Hammer Nutrition Endurolytes is they have magnesium stearate. I use the powdered form because of this.

WHERE DO YOU FIND ELECTROLYTES?

In extreme sports, it is best to rely on a sports drink containing sodium and minerals. Drinking 16 ounces of fluid per pound of bodyweight lost during the strenuous exercise is recommended. Sustained Energy, Perpetuem, and HEED all have minerals in them. You can reduce the amount you need when you are using these as your fuel/calorie source during extreme exercise.
They can be found in common dietary foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, beans, grain breads and cereals, and dairy products. With the common person, most of these needs can be effectively met with a balanced diet.

With extreme athletes though, it is necessary to seek out other sources for electrolyte replenishment in order to keep a healthy balance.

Hammer Nutrition agrees with the principle that it is unnecessary to replace losses of sodium and potassium during regular exercise since it is highly unlikely that the body stores of these minerals have been depleted significantly.

However with longer extreme exercise, lasting longer than 5 or 6 hours in length, consuming these minerals is recommended since over-hydration (hyponatremia) can be caused from hydrating with pure water alone.

The symptoms of low consumption can range from cramps, to heart exhaustion, decreased performance, and headaches.

SUPPLEMENTS

This provides the body with the minerals it needs to maintain optimal performance of important functions for the body such as muscular contraction.

Endurolytes prevents cramping, comes in convenient dosed capsules or powder form. It is versatile enough to either take the pills orally or mix the powder with your drink.

When choosing a product, be sure to read all the labels carefully for content. You will want to use the smallest effective amount since too much sodium/electrolyte therapy can cause cramping, nausea, and stomach sloshing.

I have found that using 1 every couple of hours is good for me in normal conditions. In extreme heat I have used up to 4 per hour!

OTHER OPTIONS

You add 8 ounces of hot water to this powder, and you have a hot chocolate that replenishes and hydrates you. The gear junkie tried a few hot shots and said Not bad medicine at all.

Available: Now

Price: $1.69 per packet

ELECTROLYTE RESOURCES