fluid replacement and electrolytes

In article ,
"just us" wrote:

Good grief! I just found an aussie site that sells them online and the
Motortabs are $3.50 each! That makes petrol way cheaper lol.

Kathy,

You need to do some reading to get some accurate background information.

For a start, do a google search for oral rehyration salt (ORS) or oral
rehydration therapy (ORT). Starting here is as good as anything:
http://rehydrate.org/ors/index.html [go to the rehydrate page and read
the formula for ORS]

For general reading, and a number of very interesting articles on eating
and drinking before and during exercise, I can recommend Monique Ryan
(nutritionist and author of 'Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes'):
http://www.velonews.com/monique-ryan

Sports drinks vary in quality and fitness for purpose. Gatorade, Endura,
Staminade, Powerade, etc all can assist with rehydration but beware of
sugar content. You can buy it made up (in which case you are mainly
paying for water and a container to carry it in) or as powder (much
better if you have regular access to potable water).

Severe dehydration, caused by diahorrhea or vomiting, is better treated
using something like Gastrolyte - as it is much more concentrated.

To assist with the replacement of salts lost through sweating you can
also take tablets such as Motortabs or Lava Salts (much cheaper):
http://www.fastgear.com.au/ [go to lava at left]

Lack of energy - as your friend had - is not necessarily an indicator of
being dehydrated. She probably was dehydrated but she might just have
run out of easily accessible energy stores and could not efficiently
metabolise fat to get energy. She might have come good with something as
simple as flat coke which contains both sugar and caffeine and is
wonderful when you need an energy boost.

In addition to what looks best on paper, one size definitely does not
fit all when it comes to being able to actually drink electrolyte
drinks. Some people have an inability to stomach some brands and being
able to drink 500ml of a brand you like might not feel the same after 2
litres of the stuff.

Read up on the subject, try every different brand and pick what suits
you best. Try to include some variation in your 'diet'.

regards,
Darryl

PS. A saying I read during the week was:
Reading the fine print is called education, not reading the fine print
is called experience.