What do you use to keep electrolytes in check in hot weather?

[Canadian_Hiker]

While on a crazy, long and hot hike this summer in Baxter State Park I covered 18 miles in record high temp for Maine! I filters water every chance I had and tanked up on water before leaving each water source. Still after drinking a ton of water my urine was still dark yellow! Once I got to camp it was not until morning until it was clear again! I have been thinking of trying Nuun tabs during warm weather hikes! Any experience?


Canadian_Hiker
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[BirdBrain]

NUUN is all I use. You are wise to observe the color of your stream as a gauge. However, I believe the color is not a good indicator of electrolyte levels. I believe that has to do with the rate of water consumption and where that water goes. I believe the only way to change the density of the color is to change the ratio of water consumed to water processed through your urinary tract. That means more water or less sweat. Maybe an expert can weigh in.

[SteelCut]

I make an electrolyte replacement based on Malto's recipe:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...=1#post1991983

I've notice more endurance and better recovery in hot weather using this electrolyte replacement over not using anything specific. I really don't have any observations on the color of my urine stream and not sure if it's a good indication of overall electrolyte levels or not.

[Ankle Bone]

NUUN is all I use. You are wise to observe the color of your stream as a gauge. However, I believe the color is not a good indicator of electrolyte levels. I believe that has to do with the rate of water consumption and where that water goes. I believe the only way to change the density of the color is to change the ratio of water consumed to water processed through your urinary tract. That means more water or less sweat. Maybe an expert can weigh in.

Agree. Urine color is more about fluid levels, not electrolytes. More water, more clear.

But electrolytes are important, especially when sweating heavy on hot hikes. I also use NUUN or a powder such as Cliff or Gatorade. Cliff is less sweet and I prefer it.

[slbirdnerd]

I like the GU gummies. Watermelon are my favorite.

[theoilman]

I also use Nuun. If I don't keep my electrolyte level up, my energy level goes W A Y down.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Pringles work well for salt, you can use Lays chips if you prefer.

For drinks I often add a 1/4 teaspoon of Morton's Lite Salt per liter to whatever flavored drink I'm drinking. The lite salt is largely potassium.

[Vegan Packer]

Dark urine is an indication of dehydration, not electrolyte depletion, though it is possible that you can have both going on at the same time. You need to start tanking up with water starting a day before your outing. It is a big step back to try to play catch up, once you are already behind.

Common symptoms and signs of depletion (not dehydration) are: cramps, headaches, decreased urination, extremely salty sweat, bloating, nausea, confusion. Not all happen to all people.

Proper diet will help prevent electrolyte depletion, but some require additional supplementation or medical intervention. (Check with your doctor.) Do not consume alcohol for a day or so before starting your hike.

I am not a physician or medical expert. Do not rely on the information that I present here. Check with a doctor or other expert in this field.

[Dogwood]

I try to avoid in the first place getting myself into such a highly diminished electrolyte state. BY FAR, I choose to replenish electrolytes through eating food. NO, one does not always need a fancy electrolyte powder or drink to replenish electrolytes. Since my trail food resupplies always consists of food with various nuts, seeds(chia and hemp are two good ones ), nut butters, a few fresh fruits/vegetables, dark leafy greens, fresh sprouts(grow on trail as I hike), and at least one dinner containing beans, which ALL, with some consideration to electrolytes, are high in electrolytes, and in THEIR WHOLE FOOD FORM, NOT IN ISOLATED COMPOUNDS REMOVED FROM THEIR WHOLE FOOD MATRX, it factors strongly in having less need for a separate electrolyte mix. I have carried a small Himalayan Sea Sat rock I shaved off a bit into snack foods, dinners, and even water I drink/consume as I hike. Nothing wrong with bananas either which I consume during hot weather at every town stop where I can find them! Probably not what you were expecting, maybe not the most sexy, maybe not high sounding or as complex as many make electrolytes to be, BUT GETS THE JOB DONE.



However, when I feel the need to supplement with an electrolyte mix I use Emergen -C- Electro Mix, Nunn Active Hydration tablets, Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator( I really like this one), GU Brew, and Hammer(various mixes).



I like Coco Hydro electrolyte drink or Navitas Naturals Coconut Water mixed with any of these or by itself into H20. This is my favorite electrolyte additive which I like to combine with the Vega or Emergen-C and a tsp of Chia seed. I sip it for hrs.


http://bigtreefarms.com/products/coco-hydro


http://navitasnaturals.com/product/5...er-Powder.html

[fiddlehead]

Pringles work well for salt, you can use Lays chips if you prefer.

For drinks I often add a 1/4 teaspoon of Morton's Lite Salt per liter to whatever flavored drink I'm drinking. The lite salt is largely potassium.

Glad to see someone thinks like me.
On really hot days, I drink a ton of water, and eat lots of potato chips.
(and it gets really hot here in the tropics of Thailand)

That gatorade stuff is quite expensive here.
Salt is cheap.

When I get cramps (after marathons) i take a 500 mg magnesium pill.
Works for me.

[fiddlehead]

Oh yeah, and coconut water.
They used that stuff for plasma replacement in WWII I've heard.

[rocketsocks]

Glad to see someone thinks like me.
On really hot days, I drink a ton of water, and eat lots of potato chips.
(and it gets really hot here in the tropics of Thailand)

That gatorade stuff is quite expensive here.
Salt is cheap.

When I get cramps (after marathons) i take a 500 mg magnesium pill.
Works for me.

Now if they could just fry the chips in coconut oil that'd be a Boon.

[rocketsocks]

To many oily chips leads me to have anal leakage runnin' down ma leg, not a pretty sight and a worse feeling.

[garlic08]

Pringles work well for salt, you can use Lays chips if you prefer.

Plus 2. Salt is the main issue for me, and it's easy enough to get that through a typical trail diet. When I start craving salt and licking the bag the crackers came in, I know I'm low.

I hike with a very experienced hard-core desert hiker and runner, and he swears by Nuun. It doesn't appear to do him any harm and he can afford it. It would be a waste of money for me.

I normally can't stand the taste of Gatorade, but I drank it a few times on wildland fire incidents, as that was often the first thing that came up the supply line from a rapidly-forming camp. It gave me explosive gas, which was kind of fun at the time, at least with my crew.

[rocketsocks]

Banana chips for potassium, Gummy Cliff shots for Caffeine, Nuun to ease the taste of creek water.

[Canadian_Hiker]

I like honey stingers as well! But Nuun is a main staple of my hiking trips!


Canadian_Hiker
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[Rebeka]

I try to avoid in the first place getting myself into such a highly diminished electrolyte state. BY FAR, I choose to replenish electrolytes through eating food. NO, one does not always need a fancy electrolyte powder or drink to replenish electrolytes. Since my trail food resupplies always consists of food with various nuts, seeds(chia and hemp are two good ones ), nut butters, a few fresh fruits/vegetables, dark leafy greens, fresh sprouts(grow on trail as I hike), and at least one dinner containing beans, which ALL, with some consideration to electrolytes, are high in electrolytes, and in THEIR WHOLE FOOD FORM, NOT IN ISOLATED COMPOUNDS REMOVED FROM THEIR WHOLE FOOD MATRX, it factors strongly in having less need for a separate electrolyte mix. I have carried a small Himalayan Sea Sat rock I shaved off a bit into snack foods, dinners, and even water I drink/consume as I hike. Nothing wrong with bananas either which I consume during hot weather at every town stop where I can find them! Probably not what you were expecting, maybe not the most sexy, maybe not high sounding or as complex as many make electrolytes to be, BUT GETS THE JOB DONE.



However, when I feel the need to supplement with an electrolyte mix I use Emergen -C- Electro Mix, Nunn Active Hydration tablets, Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator( I really like this one), GU Brew, and Hammer(various mixes).



I like Coco Hydro electrolyte drink or Navitas Naturals Coconut Water mixed with any of these or by itself into H20. This is my favorite electrolyte additive which I like to combine with the Vega or Emergen-C and a tsp of Chia seed. I sip it for hrs.


http://bigtreefarms.com/products/coco-hydro


http://navitasnaturals.com/product/5...er-Powder.html

I have been wondering about sprouting while walking! Cool, I use glass jars at home, what do you use on the trail?

Glad to see someone thinks like me.
On really hot days, I drink a ton of water, and eat lots of potato chips.
(and it gets really hot here in the tropics of Thailand)

That gatorade stuff is quite expensive here.
Salt is cheap.

When I get cramps (after marathons) i take a 500 mg magnesium pill.
Works for me.

Never Give Up

[Dogwood]

I have been wondering about sprouting while walking! Cool, I use glass jars at home, what do you use on the trail?

Received a Outdoor Herbivore sprouting kit as a gift that I appreciate so much on trail. It is EASY, very light wt, and provides FRESH HIGHLY NUTRITIOUS sprouts to my trail food offering many health/nutritional benefits. I clip the dampened hemp pouch with sprouting seeds to the back of my backpack giving the emerging sprouts an occasional rinse with fresh water and ouila. Easy peasy!

http://outdoorherbivore.com/trail-sprouts/

[wannahike]

I'm with the get it from your food camp.There is a billion dollar sports drink industry that has people believing that if they go out into the heat and exercise they might Die unless they use one of these products. If you are getting muscle cramps then you probably do need to replace electrolytes but a little Mortons Salt and some baking soda do the trick. And maybe magnesium before sleep.

I dehydrate bananas so I always have some with me.
I have seen the Outdoor Herbivore kit, nice to have the feedback.

[Farr Away]

Other factors can turn your urine dark. Try a B complex vitamin sometime - within a couple hours your urine will be dark yellow.

Kind of freaked me out the first time that happened until I realized what was going on.

-FA