Sports hydration, my cycling drink mix vindicated!
Gummy sweets and (real) fruit juice
Loved this episode of Sliced Bread: Do drinks and powders with electrolytes help to hydrate you better? from BBC Radio 4.
Greg Foote speaks to Graeme Close, Professor of Human Physiology and Head of the Research Institute for Sports and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moores University, and after a lengthy discussion on the pro's and con's of various sports drink additives (both composition and delivery methods) he says;
"Of course you can just make your own: 1/3 pulpy real fruit juice (he said pineapple), 2/3 water, and table salt until you can only just taste it."
Have used that for years cycling, either store pulpy pineapple or full (cloudy) apple juice from the local orchard. Never had cramps, never had problems with mouldy bottles (with normal rinse washing) that many using commercial additives seem to battle either.
PS: This episode on protein supplements is also good; in short try and get what you need from food.
PPS: A post ride flavoured milk, cold or Submarino, is also a good thing!
Robin Capper
PPPS: Gummy sweets and pastries for fuel as recommended endurance athlete Jenny Tough (that's her real name) on sports nutrition:
"Do you know Renee McGregor? I just remember her saying, talking about Sports Nutrition, at the end of the day the stuff you put in your body, the glucose, fructose carbohydrates, it's the same breakdown as white sugar. Haribo costs one pound..."
From Katie's YouTube, clip cued to this section below:
Katie riding with Jenny in Scotland
