Training & Nutrition - How much maltodextrin do I use in a drink? should I add protein?

I searched on Maltodextrin but search said it was too common a term.

I've learned quite a bit on these forums the past few days. Like I shouldn't waste my money on 'branded' endurance drinks when I can make my own. I figure I'll us Gatorade for the electrolyte and maltodextrin for the fuel. So my first question is: how much maltodextrin do I use in a standard size (24 oz) water bottle?

I also read that on very long rides - I'll be doing a century next month - I should consume soy protein during the ride. So Question #2 - how much soy powder should I add to the mix later in the ride?

Thanks,

Ron

The maltodextrin amount depends on how long you ride and how many calories you want to take in. On some longer rides I will take along a bottle with 30 grams of protein and 200 grams of malto. Works out to be about 900 calories. Take a decent swig from that bottle every 30 minutes. That's really for rides reaching the 4 hour mark or longer.

Whatever you use, aim for a total of about 250 cal/hr. You can use a lot of maltodextrin and drink less of the mix (and more water from your other bottle), or less and drink more from that bottle.

I'd be careful about protein. It's harder to digest and more likely to cause stomach issues. If you want to try it, use small amounts and experiment quite a bit before the event.

I aim for about 10 grams of protein an hour on the longer rides. I use whey protein, not soy. No stomach issues.

I add 2 ounces (about 5 tablespoons) of my mix to a 24 oz bottle. My mix also includes dextrose and fructose, but that same amount (or a little less) should work for straight maltodextrin. You might want to start with a weaker mix and see what works for you. Anything stronger than that is likely to cause bloating and stomach problems.

I also add a touch of koolade mix for flavoring, although I find that I'm using less and less flavoring as time goes on.

As far as electrolytes is concerned, I'd suggest just adding some salt and 'lite salt' to your maltodextrin drink or to plain water and save your money. There's nothing magic about it. The salt and 'lite salt' will cover your electrolye loss.

I think you're putting way too much emphasis on mid ride nutrition, and not nearly enough on getting past the mental barrier to HTFU.

Save the protein shakes for recovery. They won't make you faster.

http://outside.away.com/outside/bodywork/200707/hydration.html

Be warned that while caloric requirements are fairly constant, water intake varies widely with temperature.
I have found that in warm weather I always need to keep one bottle of plain water on hand as well as the malto mix.

I actually got dehydrated once when I still had most of a bottle of malto mix left, because my stomach just didn't want any more.

I figure I'll us Gatorade for the electrolyte and maltodextrin for the fuel. So my first question is: how much maltodextrin do I use in a standard size (24 oz) water bottle?

I also read that on very long rides - I'll be doing a century next month - I should consume soy protein during the ride. So Question #2 - how much soy powder should I add to the mix later in the ride?
I'm a novice although I did do a 60-mile training ride this morning and my long ride is 83 (Climb to the Clouds century - I aborted with cramping hamstrings). I'm reading and learning. My thoughts should be viewed in light of my limited experience, but my observations might help.

A century takes a long time and usually has food/water stops, often with PB and Jelly sandwiches. Hammer Nutrition (& others) say liquid protein is better for top performance but I like to keep the food and liquid as normal as possible (I'm not competing). I like to stop to eat - today I sat on a shaded bench looking out over a cranberry bog while I dined on PB&J (includes protein) and a banana after 30 miles. I was back riding in less than 10 minutes, feeling good.

I'm experimenting with making my own drinks (I ordered 10# of maltodextrin Saturday), but today I drank a bottle of Powerade, a bottle of Gatorade, and I refilled at a convenience store with some straight lemonade (I drink a lot before I start, then I drink a bottle per hour after the first hour - 60 miles = 4 hours = 3 bottles). It worked pretty well, although next time I will probably eat a Cliff Bar around 45 miles - I was running out of steam after about 50 miles, although I am sure most of that was just because it was a long ride for me (my longest prior rides have been 57, 60, 65, and 83).

I think Gatorade already has sugar added. I think of maltodextrin as a better type of sugar [complex carb] to substitute for regular sugar, not to add on top of it.

I plan on using the same amount of maltodextrin that Hammer uses in their Heed mix with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of No Salt and a package of Kool Aid per water bottle - I can make packets so I can fortify tap water after I've drunk the two bottles I start with. The Nuun and Hammer Endurolytes cost 50 cents a bottle - maybe someday I'll decide it's worth it, but for now I will try the above recipe.

... and a package of Kool Aid per water bottle

Whoa!!! That's a LOT of Kool-Aid!

I suggest trying just a few grains and see how you like it. Add more if you want it.

I don't know exactly, but I make my own and one package of Kool-Aid (0.15 oz) is probably good for 10 - 20 bottles. I now like it weaker than I used to, but one package has always been good for a lot of bottles.

There are many different recipes and ideas about type and quantity of protein. Hammer's SE is about 7:1, carbs to protein by weight. Accelerade is about 4:1. For years, I've used the SE ratio, except that I have come to substitute whey for the soy. I don't know about that whole whey/ammonia thing they talk about. Whey is better for me - fewer stomach issues.

I mix the stuff up in a 5 lb. protein container, 3.5 lbs. malto/8 oz. whey. Use a flavored protein, anyway. Then I put 1 pt. of it in a bottle. Max usage would be 1 bottle = 3 hours, though I seldom succeed in drinking that much of it. You have to have a bottle of plain water, too. So if you were planning a 6 hour century, you could bring a ziploc with another pint of mix in it. Except that you'll probably eat some other foods along the way and thus have some powder left over. Fine.

Most maltos are lumpy when you first mix it up. That goes away after a few minutes.

Instead of using the bottle of thick/bottle of plain water method, you could also mix a much smaller, calculated amount in both bottles. The reason I don't do that is that sometimes my stomach will stop working and the only way to fix it is to take Endurolytes and push the plain water. If all my water had mix in it, I wouldn't be able to do that. For century rides and longer, I use liter bottles.

Thanks. Here's what I plan to do on rides over one hour. One bottle of water with an Endurolyte (electrolyte) tablet, another bottle with water, an Endurolyte tablet, 250 calories of maltodextrin and 50 calories of dextrose. I can carry baggies of the mix and extra tablets for refills.

Skip the Gatorade and try the Emergen-C mix for electrolytes and calories

http://www.emergenc.com/

they were offering free samples last time i looked.


But it's 30 cents for a 8 oz. serving, or 60 cents for a 16 or so size.