Add salt to Gatorade?

I've done it, especially for races that were looking to be really hot or really long. Then I found Gatorade Endurance ...

Remember that if all else fails, you can lick your arms for salt. Awful, but when you really need it ...

Do you have a sodium deficiency?  Have you tried this in trainng?  Do you have any idea how much sodium is in a teaspoon of salt?

Generally, stick with the Gatorade.  Use something like Gatorade Endurance (or whatever the new stuff is labeled) that has higher electrolyte content if you want.

I use SantaCruz lemonade (sugar water), diluted to half-strength, with "a pinch" of salt (maybe 1/4 teaspoon) added to each 32oz bottle, and that has worked well for me.

I'm a seriously heavy sweater but HEED or Gatoraid is fine until somewhere near 90ish degrees with 60%+ humidity. Then I start in on Hammer Endurolytes. I have no clue how much salt is or is not enough, I just know I need more than is in most sports drinks when it gets up there.

It also might not be just sodium you need, (or potassium if you're using potassium chloride) but a whole host of other trace stuff and one of those might be what you're throwing off faster than the others.

Eek, that sounds a bit gross.  You could always just add salt tablets to your repertoire, or add some Endurolytes powder to your water bottle.  Nuun tablets work well too, lots of people add them to existing sports drinks for even more electrolytes (not just pure salt).

This user's post has been ignored.

Edited by Chr15 2010-07-29 10:15 AM

This is what I was thinking.  Too often we equate salt with electrolytes, but salt is really only one of many electrolytes that our bodies need.

+1.  I think the premade drinks are a little more balanced than just trying to add your own salt to the mix.  Gatorade Endurance cranks up the electrolyte levels from regular Gatorade.  And doesn't taste too awful.

 

The one nice thing about the big, (IMO) confusing part of the recent Gatorade re-branding was that it’s made the stuff that used to be called Gatorade Endurance (I think it’s now called Gatorade Pro, or something like that) much more widely available.

I used to only be able to find it online or in tri shops in powder form. The pre-mixed stuff is now available at just about any GNC. I don’t drink it often enough to justify buying the big tub of powder, so it’s nice to be able to pick up a few bottles when I need them.

I use Base Electrolyte Salt.  No more salt tablets!

So, it sounds like adding just salt to gatorade (or the like) isn't the way to go. I went out this afternoon and got a couple tubes of Nuun (lemon-lime) tablets. I'm thinking I may want to add a tablet to a container of gatorade. I already have a bunch of regular gatorades, and don't want to run out to get some of the 'endurance' or 'pro' stuff.

Has anyone added Nuun to a drink to 'up' the electrolytes?

+1

Here is my proposed recipe and notes for converting Gatorade powder (02 perform, instant powder mix, lemon-lime) into Gatorade Endurance, using table salt and lite salt. Sorry, no magnesium or calcium. (Because I have 4 lbs of gatorade powder right now). Let me know if I've made a mistake.

Final Mixing Recipe:
2 cups minus 2 Tbsp Gatorade
slightly less than 1 1/4 tsp Morton lite salt
1/2 tsp Hain sea salt (slightly more). Maybe just round both salts to nearest 1/4 tsp.

Notes:
Regular Gatorade powder, 1 serving:
5/3 Tbsp = 1/3 scoop = 1 serving = 21g sugar, 150mg Na, 45 mg K.

Additives:
Morton Lite salt: 1/4 tsp per serving: 290mg Na, 350mg K.
Hain Sea Salt: 1/4 tsp per serving. 590 mg K.

Target:
Gatorade Endurance, 1 serving: 21g sugar, 300mg Na, 140mg K.

To convert Regular to Endurance, add 150mg Na, 95g K per serving.

9 Servings regular = 15Tbsp = 1 cup minus 1 Tbsp.
Add 1350mg Na, 855 mg K.

Start with lite salt:
855mg/(350mg / serving) = 2.44. servings =approx= 1/2 tsp + 1/8 tsp lite salt (a little less).
for 2 cups: 1 1/4 tsp, a little less.

that gets us 5*290 = 1450 mg Na from lite salt. Need 1250mg more Na.

Need 2.11*(1/4tsp) =approx= 1/2 tsp regular salt.

If we round to the nearest 1/4 tsp, the two salts kind of balance out.


Edited by ClayWC 2015-04-15 4:55 PM

I have added Iodized Sea Salt to my Gatorade pre race and in-race mixes. Doing so of late has helped to prevent cramping, which has been an issue in all-out efforts. But these comments on base electrolyte salt have me curious. I was planning on adding salt stick caps in my belt when the weather gets hotter.

Edited by TJHammer 2015-04-15 5:29 PM

Look for Lava Salts. They rock. 1 per hour 90-95 degrees. 1 per half hour 95+ degrees. That works for me.

I have added Enduralytes to my Gatorade bottle(s). Makes a pretty salty Gatorade !

The problem with taking Enduralytes on the bike is fumbling around in your bento box for them. Also if they get wet, that's the end of your electrolytes.

Good idea to have backup Enduralytes stashed somewhere, btw.

Or half a nuun tab.

^^^ This. What's the issue ? Why are you asking about it only on race day?

table salt is sodium chloride, but "electrolytes" included several minerals we need.

Nate, I've been using Nuun for years, although not as an addition to Gatorade. It really works well!

Hopefully Nate solved this 5 years ago... or gave up...

Hey, the revival of this thread turned me onto Nuun and Lava Salts

Edited by TJHammer 2015-04-17 11:06 AM