I generally use squash for flavour (Vimto if I can get it, which is harder post brexit). I was using a mixed berry maltodextrin mix, which I thought was fine, but the last few orders have been unflavoured.
Also, I generally use electrolyte power from Bulk, but in the past I have used electrolyte tablets that are usually flavoured enough for me.
I plan to take purely liquid nutrition. For events lasting under 5 hours are there any concerns of adding Potassium?
As in, should you add potassium? I haven’t found convincing evidence of this being necessary.
I have strong anecdotal evidence of it being unnecessary or negligibly necessary.
There is little harm in adding 50-100mg potassium per hour, other than monetary and time cost.
I do not add potassium to my own beverages because of the small time cost and my perceived negligibility of its utility.
So just what you are getting from the Gatorade then 
Flavor. My take is that the most difficult part of these drinks is the flavoring. The rest is sugar (of some type), and sodium (of some type.) Taste can be affected by the sugar used, particularly with maltodextrin being not sweet.
Gatorade is cheap and widely available flavoring.
How are you guys measuring out sodium citrate? My scale goes to the nearest gram so not sure how to get 500mg or 1000mg on or close to the dot. Also, are we looking at 1000mg of sodium or sodium citrate? I think the latter is about 30% sodium?
How are you measuring the Sodium citrate and what’s the benefit over generic table salt? Also is there a brand you recommend? Also I believe it’s roughly 1g sodium to every 4 grams sodium citrate. So if you want 1000mg per bottle add 4000mg of sodium citrate?
Thanks!
I’m also interested in extra benefit…
I use a 1/4 teaspoon to measure it out which is equal to 1g of sodium citrate or about 225mg of sodium according to the package. Sodium citrate has less of a “salty” taste. You also don’t have to worry about the chloride that is in table salt if that is a concern. Sodium citrate is used in baking so it is not too difficult to find.
Perfect. Ie 1 teaspoon of sodium citrate equates to 1100mg of sodium which is approx what I need. Thanks!
Already covered how to measure. 1tsp is roughly 1000mg sodium.
Benefit over NaCl is the availability of the sodium relative to the total ion concentration. You will absorb much more sodium relative to the anion with citrate vs chloride. Chloride is not well absorbed so it is more likely to sit in your gut increasing osmolality and causing distress.
Thanks!
What do you think about potassium and magnesium. Lmnt and efs seem to have additional electrolytes than just sodium? Any reasons these other electrolytes would be necessary or beneficial. Ive got a couple of 6 hour rides coming up. If they are beneficial, any option to add them myself? Lmnt and efs are expensive. Thanks!
Just saw this when reading up
FYI: Magnesium is even less likely than potassium to be useful or necessary to supplement intra-exercise.
Can someone give me a good idea on pricing for sodium citrate? Bought malto and fructose yesterday.
Ran out of my sis stuff so figured it was time.
This is what I bought:
Thanks. Today I did 50g of sugar, 1/2 tab of sis electrolyte and water. Tasted fine and felt pretty good after.
Is the best mixture still 2:1 Gatorade to Malto?
I gotta try this!