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Best Salt Tabs/Electrolyte Replacement

vykkiovykkio
in General Training Discussions

Hi All,

There are a lot of different salt/electrolyte replacements on the market. I would like to know which one is the best for supplementing during an IM.

Thanks!

Comments

  • mattsullmattsull

    I like S-caps. They have a higher sodium content and I find them to be more effective than others I have tried.

    www.succeedscaps.com/main_scaps.html

  • Nemo BrauchNemo Brauch
    You'll find lots of love around here for S-Caps because of the high sodium content in each little pill.
  • Tyler RobinsonTyler Robinson

    For those that use Infinit on the bike, do you also supplement with the S-Caps (i.e. pop one or two each hour) in order to get yourself up to the 500-1000mg recommended IM range or do you generally just stick with what's in the Infinit?  I've tried to jack up the electrolyte levels in my Infinit formulas in the past, but I find that once I get past around 480 mg that a concentrated solution is almost undrinkable - it's like sucking on a salt lick....

  • Barbara SpitlerBarbara Spitler
    x3 on the S caps! I used Infinit on the bike last year, and S caps. I sweat like a Sumo wrestler in a sauna!
  • NortonNorton
    X4 on the S-Caps. Just keep 'em dry!
  • cariesumidacariesumida

    x5 on the S-caps.  Bob Seebohar the triathlon nutritionist also recommended those to me...so I guess it's x6!

  • Paul HoughPaul Hough
    I was using Salt Stick until I joined EN and everyone talked me into S Caps. The S Caps are just as good and cheaper.
  • jhbinscjhbinsc

    X7 on S caps but I also use Inifnit and have about 600 mg of Na+ in my Infinit. But I am a heavy sweater and live in deep south.

  • DanielaDaniela
    I've used Hammer products for most of my triathlon years. I've heard that mixing Hammer with other brands can cause tummy issues. I haven't experienced this myself, but also haven't tested the theory. Has anyone used S caps and Hammer stuff? I've been using Endurolytes, but am tempted to switch.
  • zildgenzildgen
    @ Vicki I've been using salt stick caps recently. Just because they had them at the LBS. To lazy to order S-caps. They seem to work well for me.
    @ Daniela I also use Hammer products and have not had any issues with mixing them with the salt stick caps. I take 1 every 30-45 min for the longer work-outs.
  • Tyler RobinsonTyler Robinson
    Just went onto the Succeed website and they want $35 shipping to send $12.95 worth of S-caps to Canada. Given the current $1.04 exchange rate, I'm a bit baffled. Same thing happened with Yurbuds - $30.00 shipping and the USPS label clearly showed $1.06 shipping cost. What a scam.
  • mattsullmattsull

    Mixing Hammer prodcts with other ones is fine. That's part of Hammer's marketing. I like their products but they do publish some very suspect writings.

  • Mike HedmanMike Hedman
    I generally use Endurolytes. If I remember, the reason was for adding calcium.
    Yes, I use them in addition to having the sodium levels of my Infinit blend at the max.
    I think the Hammer warning is geared towards mixing their carb products with other stuff, which I too wrote of as marketing hyperbole...until my stomach exploded! I was trying out Pertetuem, and a half hour later swigged down a Gatorade without giving it a thought. Within minutes I was pretty bad off with GI distress. I never tried to "scientifically" determine what the deal was. For me, perpetuem tastes like butt, so giving it up was a no brainer. But I'm confident this sort of GI problem wouldnt extend to their salt product. But before you buy Hammer salt tabs, check the label - there's almost no salt in them!!

    Mike
  • kurshingkurshing
    X8 on S-Caps
  • Jeff UnruhJeff Unruh
    Ordering some now - how long do they last - debating getting 2 bottles as the shipping is just $1.50 more.
  • timdawg7timdawg7
    Just to preface my question, I am a novice at a lot of the long course stuff to include electrolyte replacement pills. Here's my question...looking at what's in an S cap, it's 341mg of Na and 21mg of K. Would I be better getting regular NaCl tabs from my pharmacy that have 1000 mg and then have a Gu that has ~45mg of K in it? It seems like I could get so much more Na that way? Has anyone tried regular salt tabs before?
  • mpaliosmpalios

    no one here uses SaltStick?

  • jwpicciottojwpicciotto
    @Tim you need to know the breakdown in the sodium to cloride ratio to make sure that you are getting the approriate amount of sodium. 1000 mg of NaCl is not 1000 mg of Na. Also, the idea is not to get down the most Na possible, but to get the appropriate amount to aid stomach emptying and to replace what you have lost in sweat.

    @Jeff, as far as how long do they last...There are 100 capsules in a bottle so you can go quite a while on one bottle.
  • Mike HedmanMike Hedman
    @MikeP - I'm currently eating SaltStick caps (mostly because that's what the store had when I was there). They are a little larger than some, funny, they are large enough that they sometimes jamb in my ... saltStick dispenser!

    @John - as for 100 lasting a while...I think I went through more than 25 yesterday - no joking! But most normal/sane peeps don't do 50 mile runs image

    MikeH
  • Jeff UnruhJeff Unruh
    I should have clarified - NOT how quickly will I go through 100 tabs - more to the shelf life of the product.

    If I buy a bottle now will it still be good 1-2 years from now?
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