DOes anyone here make, or know how to make your own energy drink mixes, the ones that help replenish ATP and gives you electrolytes?

Good question, I've often wonder about this too. You see instructions on how to make your own energy bars but none for drinks.

yup - 1 sachet instant koolaid and 2 or 3 sachets oral rehydration powder. Mix to personal taste - I prefer my koolaid saltier so 3 sachets of rehydration salts for me. If you buy tubs of each it works out much cheaper than individual sachets.

Not sure about ATP replacement but check the food ingredient label on packaging.

Fruit juice and water 1:2 with a pinch of biosalt. Yummy.

[Excerpts from https://www.cptips.com/hmdesnk.htm]

HOMEMADE SPORTS DRINKS
For many years it was believed that a 2.5% concentration (glucose or glucose polymer molecules) was the maximum that could be tolerated without delaying gastric emptying and producing nausea. However a recent study of cyclists demonstrated normal gastric emptying with 6 to 8% solutions, and nausea occurred only when concentrations were pushed above 11%. The old standbys - fruit juices and cola drinks - have a sugar concentration of around 10% (a typical carbonated drink will contain 38 grams of sugar per 12 ounces with 140 Calories). Although sports drinks supplemented with glucose polymers can provide more Calories per quart at the target 10 - 11% concentration, studies have failed to demonstrate a performance advantage of complex carbohydrate drinks over those compoced of simple sugars if the same total Calories were ingested. The advantage of the polymers is the absence of a sweet taste and nauseating properties of high concentration glucose drinks, which can be a barrier to maintaining an adequate fluid intake.

Many people enjoy their own homemade versions of commercial sports drinks. The basic recipe is not complicated and homemade sports drinks can provide all of the same benefits when mixed properly. Gatorade (tm) is formulated to give the following per 8oz serving:

14grams Carbohydrate (5.9%)
110 mg Sodium
30mg Potassium
52 Calories
Alternatives to this commercial product can be made using one of the following recipes:

Recipe #1
10 tbs. sugar (5/8 cups or 120 grams)
.75 tsp Morton Lite salt (4.2 grams)
1 package of unsweetened Coolade mix for flavor
Water to make 2 liters

Nutrition Information (per 8 ounces). The recipe will give a total of 124 grams of solute which in 2 liters water gives a total of 6.2% concentration.

14.2 grams carbohydrate (6%)
53 calories
103 mg Sodium
121 mg Potassium

You'll notice that the amount of potassium is quite a bit higher than Gatorade, but the rest is pretty close. As excess potassium is eliminated from the body by the kidneys, and some experts feel a high potassium helps to minimize muscle cramps - and hypertension if taken long term - this is not necessarily bad. However, if you wanted to reduce the potassium to the level of a Gatorade product, another option would be to use 1/2 tsp. each of regular salt and the Morton Lite Salt. This would change the composition to:

104mg sodium
40mg potassium


Recipe #2 (if you wanted to reduce the amount of potassium, or simply didn't want to buy some Morton Lite Salt
1/2 cup orange juice
9 tbs. Sugar
3/8 tsp Salt
Water to 2 liters
Nutrition Information (per 8 ounces):

14.4 grams carb (6.1%)
104 mg sodium
28.4 mg Potassium
(you could substitute 2 tbs. of lemon juice for the orange juice and it would come out the same - or at least close).

Recipe #3 (using cups and quarts)
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 cup orange juice (not concentrate) or 2 tablespoons lemon juice
3-3/4 cups cold water
1. In the bottom of a pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water.
2. Add the juice and the remaining water; chill.
Yield: 1 quart
Nutrition Information (per 8 ounces):
Calories - 50
carbohydrate 12 grams
sodium 110 milligrams
potassium 30 milligrams

Recipe #4 (if you prefer an all fructose drink)
125 mL (1/2 c) orange juice (or other sugar-containing beverage)
125 mL (1/2 c) water
0.25 mL (pinch) salt
Nutrition Information (per 8 ounces):
Calories - 59
carbohydrates 14 grams
sodium - 118 mg

Recipe #5 Lemon-orange sports drink
1 caffeine-free lemon tea bag
Water
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons orange juice
Bring 16 ounces of water to a boil.
Steep lemon tea bag.
Dissolve sugar and salt in the tea and let cool.
Combine the tea and orange juice and chill.
Nutrition Information (per 8 ounces):
Calories - 60
carbohydrates - 15g
sodium -130mg

Hypotonic:

20-40g sucrose
1 litre warm water
1-1.5g salt (optional)
Sugar free / low calorie squash for flavouring (optional)

or

100 ml fruit squash
900 ml water
1-1.5g salt (optional)

or

250 ml fruit juice
750 ml water
1-1.5g salt (optional)

Isotonic:

40-80g sucrose
1 litre warm water
1-1.5g salt (optional)
Sugar free / low calorie squash for flavouring (optional)

or

200 ml fruit squash
800 ml water
1-1.5g salt (optional)

or

500 ml fruit juice
500 ml water
1-1.5g salt (optional)

Use about 25% apple juice with a squeeze of lemon juice to take off the sweetness, a pinch (less than 1/4 tsp) of no-salt, a pinch of salt and fill up with water. If I dont have apple juice I use ice tea crystals. I am not a performance cyclist, but I dont ever get leg cramps with this, which used to happen ocassionaly.

I add 24 oz. of water to 2 scoops of Accelerade. It's the best thing I've ever made.

Go with Emergen-C Electro-Mix with some tap water. Tastes great and no calories, no fat, no cholesterol, no sodium.

It seems to me after reading the recipes that most if not all are basically diluted fruit drinks with a little salt/potassium. So: I say why not drink water, eat an apple, banana and orange before and during the ride. Throw in a few nuts for good measure and perhaps add a little lime/lemon to the water to quench thirst while adding potassium.

Why in the world would someone want an "energy drink" with no calories and no sodium? If you're riding at 12 mph for an hour or so, plain water will do. But if you're riding harder, in the hills or in the heat, your body needs to be resupplied with carbs and electrolytes.

I read recently that honey, specifically the kind of sugar in it, worked as well as any commercial sport goo out there for providing calories during the ride. The honey-lemonade recipe I got from that site is easy:

1/2 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon lite salt (optional really)
1/4 cup lemon juice
7 1/2 cups water
That's only 3 water bottles worth, so multiply the recipe as needed.
(Dissolve honey in lukewarm water.)

150 calories per 20 oz. water bottle

Take a gel shot every hour and you don't need sodium or calories. 100 calories goes a long way. As far as I know, sodium is not necessary for proper electrolytes.

Wrong. Think about it...sodium is an electrolyte. In fact, it's the most important electrolyte (and the major constituent of sweat).

Some people need more, some need less (sweat rates and the sodium content of sweat vary by individual, and with training and heat acclimation). But if your rides are hot, hilly, or hard you need sodium. Otherwise, you risk hyponatremia.

My cycling drink mix:

2 pkg Kool-Aid (Tropical Punch is my preferred flavor)
1 1/8 cup granulated sugar
3/4 tsp table salt

I put these three ingredients in a secure container and shake very well and store. When needed, I put 3 tbsp of this mix in my 22 fl oz cycling bottle and pour cold water and shake well. This makes approximately 6 total bottles.

Home made Kombucha

Make homemade lemonade with enough sugar to sweeten to taste but not sticky sweet. Add 1/2 tsp Morton Lite Salt (half sodium chloride, half potassium chloride) per liter/quart.

You can do the same thing with green tea or any other sugar sweetened drink or diluted fruit juices that bring their own sugars to the party.

There is nothing mystical about the properties of sports drinks. They provide simple carbohydrates or complex carbs that break down very rapidly into simple carbs (ie. maltodextrin) and a blend of electrolytes. The "energy" drinks add some form of stimulant to the mix to give it a little kick. Some add assorted B vitamins but there are plenty of other ways to get your vitamins.

1/2 tsp of Lite Salt (~ 580 gm of Na and 700 of K) in 32 oz seems a lot to me. Commercial sports drinks are around 375 gm Na and 100 gm K in 32 oz. I add a level 1/8 tsp of Lite Salt to a 24 oz bottles and can distinctly taste it.

My recipe is 100 cal of fruit juice diluted to 24 oz with water and 1/8 tsp salt which is 295 gm Na in addition to ~65gm that's in the juice. Electrolytes lost in sweat are almost entirely Na so little additional K is needed.

See recipe in the left column: Summer Hydration | Nutrition | OutsideOnline.com

Some say it works, some say no better than other things. Interesting idea anyway, if one rides at intensities which demand that many calories/hour. Note that they tested this mix vs. glucose, but not vs. pure maltodextrin. Big difference and the usual hyped bias. My practice is not to put electrolytes in my drink, but rather to take them separately. IME the need for them varies with the temperature, whereas the need for food varies with output level. Throw in a little malto, throw in a little fructose if you want, and flavor it up with a little Hammer Gel. The Espresso flavor contains caffeine. Or add a little Starbucks Via, which dissolves well in cold water.

I use it for the very reason that it has no calories and no sodium (more for the lack of calories, though). In my opinion, the more physical activity one can do without taking in calories (while avoiding a bonk of course), the better. That said, if you're newer to biking/exercise, it may not always be the best choice. Also, it tastes great! I also prefer solid calories during exercise to liquid (just a personal choice, really). I will say I regularly work out for two hours or more (in Florida) on just water or electromix. I couldn't always do this, it's something one has to work toward.

I buy bulk maltodextrin, mix ~200 kcal of malto + level teaspoon of hershey's powdered chocolate + 1/4 cup of coffee. That's per bottle, lasts me ~2.5 hours which is typically a 50 mile ride. Down here in the tropics of South Louisiana I'll pre hydrate with a bottle of water and have water ready at rides end.

But my home made gel has salt in it. Should that not be enough?

Here are a couple that I have bookmarked. I have not tried them yet.

Make Your Own Electrolyte Energy Drink | Everyday Roots

A simple homemade electrolyte drink | MNN - Mother Nature Network

This is our recipe. Makes 1 gallon.

2 packets unsweetened koolaid or other flavored powdered mix
1/2 tsp Morton Lite salt (potassium)
1/2 tsp sea salt (sodium)
3/4 - 1 cup sugar (to taste)
4 quarts water

heat up 4 cups of water to properly dissolve all the dry ingredients, combine remaining ingredients.

there are many dry mix flavors out there, but koolaid brand seems to be the best. we prefer the sharkleberry fin.