For me and my kidneys, they often do more harm than good I've found. My body does not like an excess of electrolytes and clears them. It clears them rather aggressively and frequently. This mean I'm losing hydration more than gaining it. I have Liquid IV and Sqwincher. They work and taste good but I need take only one and drink a lot of water with them.
Good hydration drink alongside water?
- Thread starter 53' Stude
- Start date
Water is not the right choice for hydration when active in the heat, especially true as we get older. For example, people are unaware of how much potassium we need daily. Adult men need 3500mg. And we sweat out 200mg per Liter, over an hour or two, depending. So a day in the yard here in FL might require 1000mg K (potassium)
As we age, the body’s ability to regulate fluids and electrolytes declines due to reduced thirst sensation, lower total body water (down to ~50-60% in seniors vs. 60-70% in younger adults), and changes in kidney function. Electrolyte drinks, unlike plain water, replenish key minerals lost in sweat such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium. All of which are critical for muscle function, nerve signaling, and fluid balance.
There really was a reason people healthy dropped dead on epic journeys in years past. They failed to bring Brawndo along...
One possible solution:
NUUN hydration tablets: Provides 300 mg sodium, 150 mg potassium, 25 mg magnesium, and 40 mg calcium per tablet (dissolved in 16 oz water) with only 1 g sugar.
A DIY drink:
Mix 1 L water + 1 tsp salt (2300 mg sodium) + 2 tbsp maple syrup (for trace potassium and carbs) + juice of 1 lemon or lime (for flavor and trace potassium). Add 1/8 tsp magnesium citrate powder (50 mg magnesium, available at pharmacies) and a pinch of calcium citrate (50 mg calcium, if needed). Bring a banana along.
Adding potassium tablets to a DIY drink may make the taste nasty and impossible to drink (ask me how I know), so a banana is better.
Coconut water is a very good hydrating drink if you don't mind it.
I usually just do Gatorade or the like, but also a waterbottle with plain water. I alternate back and forth between them.
Only a pint?
From that article:
Milk is more hydrating than water
The other factor affecting how well a beverage hydrates relates to a drink's nutrient composition. For example, milk was found to be even more hydrating than plain water because it contains the sugar lactose, some protein and some fat, all of which help to slow the emptying of fluid from the stomach and keep hydration happening over a longer period.
Milk also has sodium, which acts like a sponge and holds onto water in the body and results in less urine produced.
My kid plays football in south Florida. He is diabetic so we WANT some glucose/sugar in his drinks. Good old Gatorade powder mixed with cold water works for us. He will usually drink water. Then have a sip of Gatorade. And alternate them. It helps for his condition.
Glad to hear he found something that works for him.
While I don't push myself like I used to, back in my heavy bicycling years, I've learned that there are many different aspects to "hydration".
Work in the yard, mow the grass, hiking, stuff like that can lead to dehydration. Water is all you need for situations like this.
Work in the yard all day, in high heat, then water with electrolytes are a good idea.
Push yourself hard enough, and you can go into glycogen deprivation, which is a whole different level. This is not just fluid loss, it's blood sugar depletion. Marathon runners call this "hitting the wall", and bikers call it "bonking". This is an event you have to experience to fully appreciate. Your energy level at that point is completely depleted, and you MUST stop exertion.
When this happens, you need both fluids and sugar. Gatorade and the like work well to replenish, and it will ward off the evil event. I've been out on my bike when I bonked, and drinking a Coke literally creates a step function; you go from feeling the need to take a nap in the grass, to ready to continue riding in 5 minutes. That's what simple sugar does for your body; instant energy. That's all it's good for, though.
A tall neck bottle of Pabst Blue Ribbon 
Bud_One
Site Donor 2025
Pickle juice works for me .
I like Gatorade. I buy the big can of powder at wallymart.
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