You would be correct! Folks need to focus less on isotonic solution and just meeting the following needs:
Carb needs per hour
Sodium needs per hour.
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.
I have done 3h and 4h upper end z2 rides with table sugar/Torq energy powder to taste/0,5 tsp of salt per bottle. 90-100g carbs/hr. Seems to be working just fine.
Thanks @Dr_Alex_Harrison, this will save me a pretty penny in the long run
Thanks for this.
I’ve been experimenting with mixing my own fuel for the last few months, to great success so far. I recently purchased a big bag of Sodium Citrate so am now looking to incorporate that, but am a bit lost on how much to use.
I’m mixing malto + water in a 750ml bottle for trainer rides. How much sodium citrate would I be looking to use in 750ml, if I go through the bottle in about 1h15m? Would 1 tsp be about right, if I’m looking to get roughly 1,000mg of sodium per hour?
I tried doing the sugar and Gatorade but I could not handle how sweet it was. Can I replace the sugar with Maltodextrin? And if so what would the ratio be?
It’s a while since I ordered, but found my spreadsheet when I was working it out. Using Bulkpowders (Dextrose/ Maltodextrin mix; Fructose; electrolyte) it was coming out a 8 cent a bottle I think. Bulk or MyProtein, you have to be prepared to go when they have the 45% or 50% off.