OzCableguy wrote:
Can anyone recommend a good electrolyte drink powder that I can mix up into
a biddon, is easy to get hold of, works, tastes ok and doesn't cost the
earth?

Almost all the studies and guidelines I have read on this topic agree
that the only mineral in sweat that might be important to replace is
sodium. Recent evidence, however, suggests that we don't need to replace
electrolytes during exercise. See

http://tinyurl.com/2gsvym

This paper suggests that we need only about 65 mmol of sodium (1.5 grams
of sodium, equivalent to about 4 grams of salt) of sodium per day.

See also www.saltmatters.org for very strong evidence supporting 50
mmol/day (about 1 gram of sodium or 3 grams of salt) as an upper limit
for sodium intake from all sources. Trevor Beard and others suggest that
most of us eat way too much salt, even if we don't cook with salt or put
salt on our food. We get much more salt than we need from processed
foods like bread. Too much salt causes health problems, mainly high
blood pressure, even in people who exercise a lot. See also
http://tinyurl.com/36cn5j.

www.saltmatters.org (see 'Safety issues') suggests that we loose a lot
less (about 70 - 85% less) sodium in sweat if we eat a low salt diet.

My limited experience: Fow a few years I got headaches a few hours after
a moderate ride (30 - 60 km solo or in a group at about 27 - 30 km/hr ).
Headache is one of the symptoms of hyponatraemia (low blood sodium).
I started putting salt in my water bottle and the headaches seemed to
stop. I have been on a low salt diet for about 6 weeks now - no
additional salt in my water bottle and no post-ride headaches (so far).

I am interested to hear other cyclists' experience with post-ride headaches.

Martin

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