Gatorade or Water?
08-04-17, 05:51 PM
#26
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+1 Way too much BS about which simple carbohydrate does this or that. Truth is that all are rapidly broken down into their simplest forms. Even the amylase in your saliva does a good job of breaking carbohydrate bonds. Some bonds are so weak they dissociate in warm water. In any case, by the time it reaches your small intestine to be absorbed, all simple carbs are well broken down.
Maltodextrin is a perfect example of myth vs. fact. Maltodextrin is nothing but short chains of glucose (3 to 17 molecules) held together by extremely fragile glycosidic bonds. While technically a polysaccharide (complex carbohydrate) it has a glycemic index and load nearly identical to glucose and dextrose. The bonds break so easily that most of it breaks down into simple sugars during processing, before it is even ingested. Companies looking to keep sugar off their food labels love the stuff. Because of a quirk in the US labeling laws, you only have to list ingredients as they are added to the product. Any chemical changes during processing, cooking, baking are not reflected on the label. You can add maltodextrin, which doesn't have to be listed as a sugar, and then with a little heat and moisture, viola, you have a sugar-laden end product with a healthy looking label. Any performance benefits of maltodextrin over glucose, dextrose or sucrose are a complete myth as maltodextrin breaks down immediately (hence its high glycemic index) and is absorbed as glucose. The good news is that it is no worse than any other sugar and is cheap and very shelf stable. It's not bad, it just isn't anything special, no matter what the sports nutrition marketers tell you.
08-05-17, 12:23 AM
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One part where it is good is that it doesn't have the sweetness that table sugar or glucose/fructose have, which means you can pack a lot more calories into a bottle and still have it palatable. Its also cheap so many athletes just buy it in bulk and add it plain to a bottle for nutrition.
08-07-17, 12:46 PM
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I dont drink Gatorade. I drink water. I eat some sweet fruits like grapes, cherry, tangerines.
Any ideas if this is OK?
How about add some very very slight amount of salt to your water?
Any ideas if this is OK?
How about add some very very slight amount of salt to your water?
08-07-17, 10:59 PM
#29
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WRT the OP: These days, I also like Vitalyte. (formerly known as Gookinaid and ERG). It has more or less a 50/50 mix of potassium and sodium which seems to work best for me. Gatorade is has a much higher percentage of sodium, which is logical from a certain perspective. Try both. Modern Gatorade has morphed into a soft drink though, it needs to be watered down at least 50% if you're going to use it on a ride. Also, they've added so much citric acid as a preservative and for tartness that I can't stand the taste.
08-08-17, 09:11 AM
#30
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Sure. I've been riding a long time. We used to drink plain water exclusively, and ate fruit instead of power bars. Usually bananas. The potassium is helpful. The fruits you mention are good potassium sources too. If it's really hot, a small amount a salt added to your water will help keep you hydrated. This has actually been known for centuries, though perhaps the science behind it was a little cloudy. If you wanted to get fancy you could add a small amount of "light salt" (half potassium choride, half sodium chloride), which you can find in the supermarket.
WRT the OP: These days, I also like Vitalyte. (formerly known as Gookinaid and ERG). It has more or less a 50/50 mix of potassium and sodium which seems to work best for me. Gatorade is has a much higher percentage of sodium, which is logical from a certain perspective. Try both. Modern Gatorade has morphed into a soft drink though, it needs to be watered down at least 50% if you're going to use it on a ride. Also, they've added so much citric acid as a preservative and for tartness that I can't stand the taste.
WRT the OP: These days, I also like Vitalyte. (formerly known as Gookinaid and ERG). It has more or less a 50/50 mix of potassium and sodium which seems to work best for me. Gatorade is has a much higher percentage of sodium, which is logical from a certain perspective. Try both. Modern Gatorade has morphed into a soft drink though, it needs to be watered down at least 50% if you're going to use it on a ride. Also, they've added so much citric acid as a preservative and for tartness that I can't stand the taste.
08-08-17, 11:51 AM
#31
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No it's not. I assume that you are referring to my suggestion to water down Gatorade, since you put that in bold. If you can stomach full strength Gatorade during a ride, good for you. It would make me vomit, or at the very least, make me fat.
08-08-17, 12:05 PM
#32
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there are 14g of sugar in gatorade and 10g of sugar in vitalyte. Neither are in excess of your carbohydrate absorption capabilities, or excess osmolality to cause gastric distress to the degree that you claim, and certainly won't make you fat compared to vitalyte. Don't fall for marketing, read the labels.
08-08-17, 01:11 PM
#33
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I don't think Gatorade has changed much since 2009.
It's still hypertonic, meaning thicker than your blood. When you drink it your body needs to pull water out of your blood to properly absorb it. That makes you a bit dehydrated...
Half Gatorade half water is ok, 3/4 water is better.
It's still hypertonic, meaning thicker than your blood. When you drink it your body needs to pull water out of your blood to properly absorb it. That makes you a bit dehydrated...
Half Gatorade half water is ok, 3/4 water is better.
08-08-17, 02:09 PM
#34
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I don't think Gatorade has changed much since 2009.
It's still hypertonic, meaning thicker than your blood. When you drink it your body needs to pull water out of your blood to properly absorb it. That makes you a bit dehydrated...
Half Gatorade half water is ok, 3/4 water is better.
It's still hypertonic, meaning thicker than your blood. When you drink it your body needs to pull water out of your blood to properly absorb it. That makes you a bit dehydrated...
Half Gatorade half water is ok, 3/4 water is better.
08-08-17, 02:58 PM
#35
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Gatorade is fine as far as calories, and some of the newer, milder flavors taste OK. My only real complaint is the syrupy mouthfeel, which is fine when you first drink some but after a while would gross me out if I drank it large quantities. I do prefer Vitalyte for the milder taste and lack of that syrupy mouthfeel.
During races or other long high-intensity efforts when I need more calories, I like the drink mixes from Infinit Nutrition. The GoFar has just a bit of protein in it, I usually have that in one bottle and either Race Fuel or Jet Fuel in the other.
During races or other long high-intensity efforts when I need more calories, I like the drink mixes from Infinit Nutrition. The GoFar has just a bit of protein in it, I usually have that in one bottle and either Race Fuel or Jet Fuel in the other.
08-08-17, 04:06 PM
#36
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I keep water in one bottle and water with Nunn's tab in the other bottle. Last weekend during a Metric century, I accidently put Gatorade in my water bottle...it had been half filled with water, so I figured I'd roll with it. I had to dump it and rinse my bottle out at the next SAG...the Gatorade was turning my stomach. So, I relearned the "don't change what you are doing on ride day" lesson. Unsure why I didn't tolerate it well, except that I seldom drink it.
08-09-17, 03:45 PM
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The other product would be Ultima Replenisher. It contains the 6 electrolytes: sodium, potassium, magnesium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, plus 2 minerals: selenium and zinc.
NUUN has magnesium, sodium bicarb, potassium.
Ultima Replenisher - clean electrolyte hydration, done right!
NUUN has magnesium, sodium bicarb, potassium.
Ultima Replenisher - clean electrolyte hydration, done right!
08-10-17, 07:39 AM
#38
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On shorter rides I usually just bring water with me. For longer rides, I alternate between drinking water and Gatorade.
I also drink a bunch of Gatorade after my ride is done. It feels really refreshing then, more than just water.
I also drink a bunch of Gatorade after my ride is done. It feels really refreshing then, more than just water.
08-15-17, 07:15 PM
#39
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Learn to listen to your body. Sometimes it will ask for water, sometimes electrolytes, and sometimes sugars. Water, Gatorade, and whatever else all can be useful.
When I was riding competitively I would actually drink a soda (Dr. Pepper if I could get it) around the 90-100 mile mark because my body "needed" the simplest sugars possible and for whatever reason, would give a jolt to my system and seemingly re-stoke the muscles. Sounds weird, but learn to trust yourself more than the advice of random people on the internet.
When I was riding competitively I would actually drink a soda (Dr. Pepper if I could get it) around the 90-100 mile mark because my body "needed" the simplest sugars possible and for whatever reason, would give a jolt to my system and seemingly re-stoke the muscles. Sounds weird, but learn to trust yourself more than the advice of random people on the internet.
08-16-17, 08:58 AM
#40
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So, yes, I googled it but I wasnt convinced with the results so Iam looking for an answer into ''cycling'', I hope you know what I mean. I read that Gatorade has electrolytes and carbs that I need but other persons says that it is good to use both when exercising. So my question is, do I use both or just gatorade?
Gatorade works fine for me esp Saturday fast group rides lasting 3 hr in 85-95 deg heat! I also do carry another bottle with water and go through 2 gatorades. For zone 2 or 3 rides lasting 1.5 hrs, I just drink water unless I'm doing 20/30 minute intervals In the heat, then i'll drink 1 Gatorade.
08-23-17, 02:42 PM
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Not to mention that for early morning rides full strength Gatorade tastes awful after brushing your teeth! But in seriousness, I agree with it being a little rough on the stomach. No to mention extremely unpalatable when warm. I like to use it as a post-ride recovery, but I'll vote for Nuun tabs on the ride. They have one with caffeine too, if that's your thing.
08-23-17, 03:28 PM
#42
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Not to mention that for early morning rides full strength Gatorade tastes awful after brushing your teeth! But in seriousness, I agree with it being a little rough on the stomach. No to mention extremely unpalatable when warm. I like to use it as a post-ride recovery, but I'll vote for Nuun tabs on the ride. They have one with caffeine too, if that's your thing.
08-23-17, 06:50 PM
#43
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Another NUUN fan here - when the temperatures are over about 25C or mid 70s F or I'm going on a long ride. I can do Gatorade on short/fast/hot rides, but it is way too sweet after a while. Prior to using NUUN, I added a salt/sugar combo to the water. I use other sources of calories.
I also like Mexican Coke and cactus water, though they are too exotic to use on most rides.
I also like Mexican Coke and cactus water, though they are too exotic to use on most rides.
08-24-17, 11:21 AM
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08-27-17, 01:34 PM
#46
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I made it about 2 minutes into that, because that YouTube idiot is beyond annoying, and is trying far too hard to be amusing. I haven't managed to find a single article or report that states conclusively that Gatorade is bad for you. At worst it does nothing, and at best it might keep your electrolytes balanced. It's less than 200 calories for an entire quart bottle-- and I typically take about a pint on a 35-50 mile ride (along with another 25oz bottle full of water.) I don't see the caloric content as a huge problem-- 100kcal taken in over the course of 2-3 hours should be manageable, and in fact is.
Sometimes on the bike it's just nice to have a drink of something that has flavor in it. Like everything else, it comes down to want/need. Sometimes we want more than we need.
Sometimes on the bike it's just nice to have a drink of something that has flavor in it. Like everything else, it comes down to want/need. Sometimes we want more than we need.
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08-31-17, 10:22 AM
#48
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How long is the ride? After 3-4 hours ride, I like the occasional break (rare, especially if I'm footing the bill) for a coke or Gatorade mainly for the sugar before another hour or more to ride end. Less than 2, only water. Fig bar or two every hour over 3 (starting after 2 hours) hour ride. Never was short on electrolytes even on rides over 8 hours saddle time that food cannot replenish. See Sports drinks, sweat and electrolytes - part 1 | The Science of Sport and determine for yourself if you are wasting money.
09-02-17, 06:23 AM
#49
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Riders may not see it as the paramedics do. They are called to do rescues.
Hikers who are older or less prepared will do a day hike without sufficient fluids or the heat temperature is too intense at that time of day.
Other hikers will carry extra fluids on high temperature days.
Hikers who are older or less prepared will do a day hike without sufficient fluids or the heat temperature is too intense at that time of day.
Other hikers will carry extra fluids on high temperature days.
09-02-17, 07:07 AM
#50
Senior Member
Ugh, I don't want any sugary drinks when riding or ever, really. Plain water for me, icy if possible unless it's really cold out.
