View Full Version : Replenishing electrolytes
MannDude
06-04-2019, 15:23
Not AT-specific, as I'm just now about to embark on my first multi-day solo hike. I've done over nighters with more favorable weather. It'll be the end of this month, June, and it'll be hot and likely humid. Water and hydration isn't a large concern of mine, I'll have plenty of places to cache water along the way. The only concern I have is maintaining the proper nutrients I need and not sweating them all out.
So, what is your tried and true methods of maintaining the required nutrients when hiking in the heat and humidity? A lot of my trail meals are already sodium rich but I know you need other things like potassium and magnesium too, correct? How do you know you've taken enough, and not too much, of a certain nutrient? Is more better than not enough?
Any good 'required reading' that you can recommend, either on site or off site that isn't trying to sell me something? Don't need a list of the "TOP TEN SUPPLEMENTS ALL THRU-HIKERS USE" from some site pushing Amazon affiliate links or anything, haha.
fastfoxengineering
06-04-2019, 15:35
Freeze dried bananas and a magnesium supplement. A multi vitamin.
People say uneccesary etc. I say cant hurt
Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
MannDude
06-04-2019, 15:41
Freeze dried bananas and a magnesium supplement. A multi vitamin.
People say uneccesary etc. I say cant hurt
Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
I just know that I'm peeing a lot because I drink a lot and that I've got mineral outlines on my clothing after a long day on the trail. Take my hat off, salt/mineral line on my forehead. Take my dark colored shirt off, mineral build-up on my stomach. Underwear, waistband. Etc.
Figured better safe than sorry. Saw some tabs and stuff you mix in your water online, but figured I'd seek the advice of people hiking every day as opposed to people like me, who go out and kick dirt for a few nights at a time, haha.
HooKooDooKu
06-04-2019, 15:55
I had those mineral outlines on my clothes when I hiked the JMT over about 3 weeks. Drank lots of water and ate my three meals/day plus 3 snacks (200 calorie/each) in the morning and 3 more in the afternoon. Never felt like I had any issue with electrolytes.
The Kisco Kid
06-04-2019, 15:57
I use Nuun (https://nuunlife.com/) tablets. Compact, lightweight, and pretty tasty. Two or three of those a day depending on mileage does it for me!
fastfoxengineering
06-04-2019, 16:30
I just know that I'm peeing a lot because I drink a lot and that I've got mineral outlines on my clothing after a long day on the trail. Take my hat off, salt/mineral line on my forehead. Take my dark colored shirt off, mineral build-up on my stomach. Underwear, waistband. Etc.
Figured better safe than sorry. Saw some tabs and stuff you mix in your water online, but figured I'd seek the advice of people hiking every day as opposed to people like me, who go out and kick dirt for a few nights at a time, haha.I wouldnt worry about it for a few days out.
My new favorite drink mixes are the Amazing Grass Green Superfood Effervescent Greens tabs if you wanna get all healthy.
Theyre delicious too. They have a bunch of antioxidants and minerals ya need in em.
Serving of vegetables as well.
I'm a big fan. So much i bought a case for my next 2000 mile hike
Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
peakbagger
06-04-2019, 17:05
I am a Nuun fan myself. I used to use Gatoraide but eve diluted, too much sugar.Nuun is the only product that keeps me from getting leg cramps in the evening.
Not AT-specific, as I'm just now about to embark on my first multi-day solo hike. I've done over nighters with more favorable weather. It'll be the end of this month, June, and it'll be hot and likely humid. Water and hydration isn't a large concern of mine, I'll have plenty of places to cache water along the way. The only concern I have is maintaining the proper nutrients I need and not sweating them all out.
So, what is your tried and true methods of maintaining the required nutrients when hiking in the heat and humidity? A lot of my trail meals are already sodium rich but I know you need other things like potassium and magnesium too, correct? How do you know you've taken enough, and not too much, of a certain nutrient? Is more better than not enough?
Any good 'required reading' that you can recommend, either on site or off site that isn't trying to sell me something? Don't need a list of the "TOP TEN SUPPLEMENTS ALL THRU-HIKERS USE" from some site pushing Amazon affiliate links or anything, haha.
How long is your "multi-day" hike? Do you have any health issues that make you more likely to waste potassium or magnessium? Are you on medications that might affect your body's electrolyte preservation mechanisms?
On sweaty days, Nuun in every 2-3 liters I drink.
Regardless the weather, I take 1 liter with Electro-Mix and Emergen-C as my recovery drink with dinner.
ChrisMek
06-05-2019, 09:24
I was using NUUN tablets on my first couple of section hikes but found that I didn't really like the taste. I would choke it down to get my electrolytes. My last section the guy i went with brought powdered Pedialite and he gave me a couple. These taste so much better than the NUUN. I think I am going to switch to them.
Sarcasm the elf
06-05-2019, 10:02
Freeze dried bananas and a magnesium supplement. A multi vitamin.
People say uneccesary etc. I say cant hurt
Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk
This is my usual method as well. I’m not a fan of paying for expensive sport drinks to get minerals that I can just get in my diet or with regular vitamins.. For me it’s trader joes dried banana chips for potassium, potato chips for salt (my trail food is often fairly low sodium), some chocolate that I like to pretend is a magnesium supplement ;) and a single calcium/magnesium pill at the end of the day. I also will sometimes put 1/4 teaspoon per liter of morton’s light salt into my water or tang, it’s a mix of salt and potassium.
cneill13
06-05-2019, 10:19
My hiking stamina has completely changed since I began taking electrolytes and vitamin B. I have been a big proponent of vitamin B for many years but the addition of electrolytes has been a huge boost.
With breakfast, 1 super B vitamin and a Nunn energy tab in water.
With lunch - ZippFizz energy powder in water.
I don't know what is in there but you will literally be flying down the trail.
trailmercury
06-05-2019, 11:04
Salted plantain chips, balanced diet, hydration
I have used the Propel powder to add to my water. Will need to check Nuun out.
peakbagger
06-05-2019, 16:07
I have tried all the home remedies and am inherently cheap. On the other hand I hate late night leg cramps and Nuun keeps me from getting them after a hike so I spend the money.
Note Nuun has a couple of variations some have caffeine some don't. It should be obvious but you need to add them to container of water. I expect bad things would happen if you tried to chew one ;)
Nolan "Guido" Jordan
06-05-2019, 18:54
I don't use nuun because of the dextrose (fake sugar) in it. Plus you can't nearly get as many electrolytes in that as a teaspoon of salt. On my trips, I like to bring a small ziplock bag of Himalayan pink salt, or Redmond's sea salt which you can find at earthfare or maybe WholeFoods. Just take a teaspoon of salt in your mouth, and follow with 8oz of water. You should be doing this like 3-5 times a day, even when you're not hiking. It gave me tons of energy when I sectioned Georgia on the AT this spring.
4eyedbuzzard
06-05-2019, 20:31
I don't use nuun because of the dextrose (fake sugar) in it. Plus you can't nearly get as many electrolytes in that as a teaspoon of salt. On my trips, I like to bring a small ziplock bag of Himalayan pink salt, or Redmond's sea salt which you can find at earthfare or maybe WholeFoods. Just take a teaspoon of salt in your mouth, and follow with 8oz of water. You should be doing this like 3-5 times a day, even when you're not hiking. It gave me tons of energy when I sectioned Georgia on the AT this spring.There's nothing "fake" about dextrose. It's a simple sugar made from reacting cellulose (like corn or other starch) with an enzyme. It's the same thing as glucose (the stuff your cells burn for energy) . It's a simple sugar, a monosaccharide, as opposed to granulated table sugar, which is a disaccharide formed of two simple sugars, sucrose and fructose.
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
I use Pedialyte powder in my water when necessary.
https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/big-tree-farms-coco-hydro-sport
https://myvega.com/products/vega-sport-electrolyte-hydrator?variant=10415348842539&flavor=berry&size=tub-40-servings-i-5-2-oz
Mostly maintain electrolyte balance through a whole food diet including on trail. May supplement with powdered coconut water as above or, since I'm a pescatarian, Vega Sport Hydrator.
I say cant hurt
Not so. There are a lot of deaths per year due to supplement use. They may help, or do nothing, but they can also hurt or kill.
Before going on supplements, it makes sense to get your electrolytes measured in the appropriate blood panel. However, supplementing one without the other may lead to drastic shortages, because the compounds work together in ways that are poorly understood.
You don't need supplements if you eat nutritionally dense food. Sorry, that's not Little Debbies, pop tarts, and Top Ramen. Rather than eating that garbage and adding supplements, a rational approach would be to rework the diet. It's not a mystery.
illabelle
06-06-2019, 15:01
Not so. There are a lot of deaths per year due to supplement use. They may help, or do nothing, but they can also hurt or kill.
Before going on supplements, it makes sense to get your electrolytes measured in the appropriate blood panel. However, supplementing one without the other may lead to drastic shortages, because the compounds work together in ways that are poorly understood.
You don't need supplements if you eat nutritionally dense food. Sorry, that's not Little Debbies, pop tarts, and Top Ramen. Rather than eating that garbage and adding supplements, a rational approach would be to rework the diet. It's not a mystery.
Glad to see this side of the issue being promoted (you and others). I've always felt the best way to get the nutrition we need is to eat the right foods. It just makes sense to me.
However, I've been following the discussion because I have concern that I need to do something different on trail. My hiking is typically just a weekend or a week, so it's not like I'm worried about a months-long nutritional deficit. The concern is that I sweat a lot, more than my husband it seems. It's not uncommon that I'll have salt crusted on my face at the end of the day. And with that I find that I feel vaguely nauseated and low on energy and with little appetite. Eating potato chips hasn't solved the problem. I'm about ready to try some Nuun or Pedialyte.
Five Tango
06-06-2019, 16:22
I use some really nasty tasting electrolytes purchased off Amazon.Not really pleasant going down but I really miss it if I forget.Makes a big difference and really helps stave off the fatigue.
Not so. There are a lot of deaths per year due to supplement use. They may help, or do nothing, but they can also hurt or kill.
Before going on supplements, it makes sense to get your electrolytes measured in the appropriate blood panel. However, supplementing one without the other may lead to drastic shortages, because the compounds work together in ways that are poorly understood.
You don't need supplements if you eat nutritionally dense food. Sorry, that's not Little Debbies, pop tarts, and Top Ramen. Rather than eating that garbage and adding supplements, a rational approach would be to rework the diet. It's not a mystery.
Good post. Qualitative info.
Diet, something as simple as food, becomes a mystery of confusion though because we assume we need disagreeing nutritional experts and industrial food scientists - scientists - to tell us what to eat that best supports our health.
MuddyWaters
06-06-2019, 20:34
Good post. Qualitative info.
Diet, something as simple as food, becomes a mystery of confusion though because we assume we need disagreeing nutritional experts and industrial food scientists - scientists - to tell us what to eat that best supports our health.
as no 50 or 75 year controlled studies have been done over the course of people's lifetimes..... Most of what experts say is conjecture, based on extremely limited data
Eggs are bad eggs are good margarine is bad margarine is good blah blah blah.
studies are only done because somebody gives money to do them and there's usually an angle that they're trying to support...... This applies to food, drugs, etc. If a researcher refutes that angle, they don't get any more money.. it's a broken flawed system to start with.
1. natural foods are usually pretty good for you.
2. Man-made foods are usually pretty damn bad for
3. All things in moderation
4. No one is supposed to live forever so quit worrying about it. Quality is more important than quantity often.
The horses are at the starting gate. And, they're off. :D I'm a product of many days at Monmouth Park.
I used Nuun tabs but have switched to Mio Sport. Super easy and can go into any size bottle opening. Doesnt make a mess like powders do anf can store in my front chest pocket on Ultimate Direction pack. Should also fit in any hip belt pocket of your pack has those.
I find myself getting much less crampy using vs straight water. But im also a serial sweater...i probably lose 10L a day sweating (hyperbole but its A LOT).
We use Endurance Fuel from Tailwind Nutrition. Has worked for me solo for multiple trips and worked great on the 12 day AT section we just came back from. 100 calories per scoop and has sodium, magnesium and potassium. I usually mix it 1 scoop to 30 oz of water but I do occasionally use more scoops depending on if I am short on calories that day. I averaged 4 scoops a day from Hot Springs to Damascus, 18 mpd average and no cramps.
YMMV
On my thru attempt I carried a plastic container of orange Gatorade and a wide-mouth bottle. I chugged a quart of it every day at lunch. I still ended up with salt on by pack's padding but the extra boost at lunch was a huge help.
...I've always felt the best way to get the nutrition we need is to eat the right foods. It just makes sense to me.
I agree. However, as simple as that sounds browse the extensive number of diet, food, fitness, "health", and cooking books, journals, and magazines next time at Barnes & Noble. Look what happens every time we try to talk about food on WB. Someone gets shouted down. PBS has some "food or other celebrity MD/scientific expert" selling their different food views on every day. Supermarket shelves are confusingly so over bloated with false food advertising and claims it's like attempting to find "food truth" portrayed as a grain of sand on Siesta Key. Medical advice is little better. Do extensive research at a medical library on diet. There is little consensus and countless clamoring voices. The topic of what to eat, what's "right" to eat, - the politics of food - is so confusingly hotly debatable it has become a heated topic like religion, does GOD exist or not, or politics. BIG money in food and food related topics. Clouds things.
As a U.S. citizen I'm not so sure we can get all our nutritional needs from what we commonly label food anymore. Food has been corrupted and coopted.
MuddyWaters
06-09-2019, 19:44
I been known to bring gatorade powder
Primarily to boost calorie intake
But keeping electrolytes going helps too.
I put it in a flip top water bottle, pour out into water bottles. Just take little silicone thingy out. Lift cap, pour out. Ez. Convenient. No mess at all.
45289
I have used the Propel powder to add to my water. Will need to check Nuun out.
Well I tried it, and far too chalky for me. Will stick with Propel.
One Half
06-10-2019, 16:57
I'm not a "supplement" taking person normally but have been recently (the last few years or so). I am very careful what I put in my body. I even make my own freeze dried meals to be able to have the best nutrition I can have. I have a hard time with supplements as I dislike taking a bunch of stuff. So I frequently spend long periods of time NOT taking them.
I have dealt with muscle spasm issues for many years now - weather sweating a lot or not. My normal "state" is that most of my muscles are in some level of spasm. I don't even notice until one spot or another goes into a more severe spasm. I drink a lot of water. It recently dawned on me that my electrolytes are likely VERY out of balance and have been for years. So I found an electrolyte to add to my water. This may sound crazy but I thought I could pretty much "instantly" feel the difference. I have only been using it for a few days. The one I bought was expensive and I am out of it. Asked my chiropractor for a recommendation and ordered it today. It will be here tomorrow. She suggested I add lemon to the water and electrolyte as the citric acid will help absorb(?utilize) the electrolytes. I will let y'all know how I am doing in about a week or so.
Maineiac64
06-10-2019, 20:57
Sport salts tablets from health store.
BongoTheOneEyed
03-21-2020, 22:34
So whats good to replenish your energy and muscles after a long day hiking ?
peakbagger
03-22-2020, 06:05
This is an older thread and I have weighed in in the past but in 2019 I switched to Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) designed to WHO specs. Its designed for the optimum absorption into the gut. There is no flavoring added. I add it to my water before hiking and if its long hard hike I usually have one post hike. If I do not use it after a hike its almost a guarantee I will have leg cramps several hours after a hike. One side effect is I also drink less water overall. ORS can be bought on Amazon, it usually comes in standard disposable pouches good for one liter of water. Nuun still works but its about double the price.
Nolan "Guido" Jordan
03-22-2020, 13:40
The main sources of electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, and potassium. If you can get those in your diet, I think anyone will do great.
One Half
03-22-2020, 15:20
The main sources of electrolytes are sodium, magnesium, and potassium. If you can get those in your diet, anyone will do great.
most people won't have a hard time getting enough sodium as they are eating a lot of premade foods. But magnesium and potassium are harder to get. 14 bananas a day to get all your potassium or 7-10 cups of leafy greens (to name a few). Avocados have more potassium but you still would need a couple (or more per day). I think canned sardines and nuts have lots of magnesium and I think dark chocolate does as well (not that milk chocolate). But even at home I supplement electrolytes and I have a very healthy diet (meat, fish, veg, berries, nuts, no processed foods).
Nolan "Guido" Jordan
03-22-2020, 15:50
most people won't have a hard time getting enough sodium as they are eating a lot of premade foods. But magnesium and potassium are harder to get. 14 bananas a day to get all your potassium or 7-10 cups of leafy greens (to name a few). Avocados have more potassium but you still would need a couple (or more per day). I think canned sardines and nuts have lots of magnesium and I think dark chocolate does as well (not that milk chocolate). But even at home I supplement electrolytes and I have a very healthy diet (meat, fish, veg, berries, nuts, no processed foods).
I agree. An avocado actually has twice as much potassium as a banana does.
One Half
08-30-2020, 10:50
revisiting this thread.
The initial electrolyte I started using was TB12 - very expensive. Switched to ConCentrace Trace Minerals with a little lemon juice added per dr. advice to help with absorption. This one helped quite a bit but it's very heavy in magnesium. Take too much and you better stay very near a bathroom. But it really helped get my muscles to start relaxing. Also, it's very low in potassium which is also "hard" to get in your diet. After reading through this whole thread again I was only "impressed" with the amount of potassium in dried bananas. It would take 2-3 cups per day of this to get all your potassium this way. All the other supplements had minimal potassium and magnesium in them. Some even had negligible amounts of sodium in it! What in the world are y'all paying for?! LOL. I won't eat dried bananas as they are very high in sugars and are going to REALLY spike your blood glucose and thus cause huge insulin dumps. Also, bananas can be quite constipating. But if you like them, they could be a good part of your potassium supplement.
So the magnesium was adversely effecting me and I still wasn't getting enough potassium. We have switched to Dr Bergs electrolyte powder. He does a lot of videos about keto and healthy "diet" and I like his vids because they are usually between 4-8 minutes in length. His powder provides 30% of potassium per scoop. We usually each have 2 scoops per day. If I am doing a lot of hiking/sweating and not eating a big salad (or other leafy greens) and avocado, I may add a 3rd scoop. The best price I have found is through Amazon. You can get a single one for $33. That seller limits you to 1 per purchase but you can submit multiple purchases. We have prime so no shipping charge.
So then I needed to figure out magnesium. I started using a magnesium spray. For $12 I figured if it didn't work it would be no big deal. But it worked great! I started running this spring for the first time in about 7 years and would use the spray immediately after running. I had NO muscle soreness from restarting this activity!!! I actually don't use it every day but really need to get back to it at least on an occasional basis, perhaps once per week. So a spray may not be a great idea on trail but most on the AT at least will have a town day every 4-5 days and carrying a little spray to use when you get a shower might be worth it. I think we are on track for me to attempt a thru in 2022 and will be having my own support "crew" in my DH and our Skoolie so I should have access to my spray without having to carry it at all.
I hope this helps someone here.
peakbagger
08-30-2020, 11:31
I use oral replacement salts. WHO has a standard formulation and various companies make it. I buy mine on Amazon..
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa043901 describes how short term electrolyte imbalances happen to marathon runners.
One Half
08-30-2020, 13:30
I use oral replacement salts. WHO has a standard formulation and various companies make it. I buy mine on Amazon..
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa043901 describes how short term electrolyte imbalances happen to marathon runners.
so I looked at the article and that is actually about hyponatremia and doesn't discuss electrolyte replacement for multiday/week events. but good article
As for ORS, do you use them daily or weekly or "as needed?"
Also, ORS are basically SODIUM, which most everyone (I'm guessing 90%) get more than enough in their eating (those who eat prepackaged foods or simply add it to food). But they leave out the other important electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, calcium, choride, bicarbonate, and phosphate. So what do you do for those?
Cookerhiker
08-30-2020, 19:58
After a bout with hypernatremia 15 years ago, i began packing Gatorade powder along with more salted peanuts and banana chips. A few year later, I used this electrolyte powder which comes in packets, each of which mixes with a liter of water. Worked well including my Colorado Trail thruhike where the sun and dryness combined with long steep ascents brought about the need for good hydration.
https://www.emergenc.com/products/hydration/electro-mix/
peakbagger
08-30-2020, 20:19
so I looked at the article and that is actually about hyponatremia and doesn't discuss electrolyte replacement for multiday/week events. but good article
As for ORS, do you use them daily or weekly or "as needed?"
Also, ORS are basically SODIUM, which most everyone (I'm guessing 90%) get more than enough in their eating (those who eat prepackaged foods or simply add it to food). But they leave out the other important electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, calcium, choride, bicarbonate, and phosphate. So what do you do for those?
I only use them during and post hike. The current WHO mix is sodium, potassium, citrate and some glucose to increase the absorption. I used to use NUUN. I not worried about day to day. I like a lot of others tend to sweat them out on a long hike and drink a lot water during the hike. I am primarily a day hiker these days and its makes a big difference.