You would be correct! Folks need to focus less on isotonic solution and just meeting the following needs:
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Carb needs per hour
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Sodium needs per hour.
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Fluid needs per hour.
Doing so with closer to a net 8-18% solution is probably more optimal in most conditions. Maybe 12-18% in cooler conditions, and 8-12% in hotter conditions. I generally just target 12-14% personally unless I’m at the end of a 4-6-hr ride and dehydrated, in which case I’ll move it down to 8-10%.
This post and my others below it in the same thread may be informative.
I discuss much of this at length, ICYMI.
I think they may be citing my book when they make these quotes on the podcast but I’m not sure. Haven’t listened yet. I know they had cited it in the past, but perhaps they’re citing the Gonzalez review. I need to go listen!
Gatorade is hard to know. Sucrose is first ingredient. Dextrose is next (ie. glucose outside the body). If it’s 95% sucrose and 5% dextrose, it could be quite optimal. I doubt that though. Gatorade has touted 2:1 ratio for a long time. It’s probably close to 1 sucrose : 1 glucose, which gives a 2:1 gluc:fruc ratio.