I would like some feedback on the use of Salt tablets, plusses, minuses, indifferent, where to buy them, etc. A friend gave me some one time and I used them in training once but did not continue for some reason. I’ve been cramping after some of my longer more difficult workouts lately and someone suggested that I may depleting my body of sodium. I use mostly Gu during my longer harder workouts. I generally take in a lot of sodium when I eat.
Rather than salt tablets, how about gatorade to replace the sodium?
Any and all help would be great.
Rusty
Naturally, perceived results are subjective, but I started taking Lava Salts on my longer rides and runs last fall, and I think it definitely helps. My muscles aren’t as fatigued, I don’t get as tired, and my legs don’t seem to get that horrible heavy feeling like they are going to seize. This allows me to go longer with less discomfort. I also use gels and Accelerade on long rides for nutrition.
I should mention that I sweat, and therefore drink, a lot. I drank three bike bottles plus two quarts from my camelbak on my 4.5 hour ride last saturday, took three Lava Salts, and my legs never got cramped or excessively tired. I never hit the wall, or anything like that.
The only problem I have with the Lava Salts is that their availability is limited. I ended up ordering them from the source, in Hawaii. I only found one other source for them, and that was more expensive. That’s not really a problem, since they ship pretty quick, but it adds around $5 to your cost.
You could also look at e-gel or Accel Gel, since they both offer a lot of electrolytes as well, and would probably eliminate the need for separate salt tabs.
I have been using ThermoTabs for a year or so now and am pretty happy with them. I also take about 1/3 of a multivitamin and a full calcium tablet during a 5 hour workout (run/ride). I find the calcium helps a lot with the achy/crampy muscles. ThermoTabs you can get at any drug store, although they may have to order them. Cheap and readily available. When I am dehydrated I can pop one of these and drink water until my stomach sloshes…and it all absorbs in less than 10 minutes.
https://www.immunesupport.com/shop/product.cfm?Product__Code=MJ01
That said, I am experimenting with e-caps Endurolytes as a possible solution for both the calcium and sodium, and they have a bit more potassium and some other essential electrolytes too. I haven’t decided which I will use this weekend at the 1/2 IM Gulf Coast Tri.
I use Endurolytes…sodium/potassiam tablets. Hammergel guys make it.
I don’t think Gatorade provides enough sodium on really hot days. And for me, my stomach can’t tolerate Gatorade after 2-3 hours because of the simple sugars.
You need to experitment.
It might be the disaccharides (sucrose is glucose-fructose) and the high osmolarity. Glucose and glucose polymers are probably easier to absorb, if they amount of individual molecules per unit volume are not too high, because they present a lower osmolarity to the stomach. The original Gatorade had smaller amount of sugar, and all of it was glucose, but it had to have saccharin to make it palatable. About 20 or so years ago they changed to sucrose and higher sugar content in order to remove the saccharin. (Powerade is worse.)