# Homemade Sports Drink



## HebrewHammer (Oct 13, 2008)

Just made the first batch of homemade sports drink today:
32 oz. package dextrose
9 cups Carbo Gain (maltodextrin)
15 packets ElectroMix
2.5 Tbs. salt

Tasted a little chalky but not too sweet. It all came out to be about 30 cal. per Tbs. of drink powder and 75mg Na to 25mg K. Has anybody else had any luck with similar stuff? Is the Na:K ratio correct? This mix cheaper even than Gatorade mix so I thought I'd give it a shot. Plus no preservatives or colors.


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

I've been using a mix of maltodextrin, fructose, salt & Crystal Light for flavoring. I was adding some other electrolytes but the latest article I've read on cramping suggested that cramps are pretty much only influenced by hydration & sodium. The fructose makes it really sweet but that doesn't bother me.


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## HebrewHammer (Oct 13, 2008)

Crystal Light is a good idea. Not much flavor to mine right now.


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## CleavesF (Dec 31, 2007)

cptips has a good recipe with Koolaid, salt, sugar and water.


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## skepticman (Dec 25, 2005)

I've been using the recipe from this page. It's a bit sweet, but better tasting than water. I just noticed that the amounts have changed since I first found it.

http://www.webmd.com/hw-popup/rehydration-drinks?navbar=hw86827

* 1 quart (950 mL) water
* ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
* ½ teaspoon (2.5 g) table salt
* ¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) salt substitute (potassium-based), such as Lite Salt or Morton Salt Substitute
* 2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

Very Diluted 100% Welches Grape/Black Cherry.
Add some salt if you like.

I've tried making my own blended drinks using maltodextrin(carbo gain) and even a little soy protein thrown in as well. Always tasted too chalky and that isn't good when it's 95+ degrees with 50% humidity. You need something light tasting.

So for me I just spend the money and use Cytomax.

and....GU20.

Best homemade recovery drink for me is a banana, apple, strawberries, blueberries, raisen smoothy in a blender with some water, refrigerate overnight. Then follow it with a glass of silk soymilk.


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Why bother? I got 2 BIG tubs of Gatorade at the local Wegeman's mkt for less than $17. I think they make like 500 gallons of it? (Ok. I exaggerated. But they make a crapload of it. I'm pretty much set for a while.) I doubt you can make your own for less. Oh. And plz no Gatorade haters. It's fairly good tasting, keeps me hydrated, and I don't want to puke it up in the middle of a crit.


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## Dwayne Barry (Feb 16, 2003)

Kram said:


> Why bother? I got 2 BIG tubs of Gatorade at the local Wegeman's mkt for less than $17. I think they make like 500 gallons of it? (Ok. I exaggerated. But they make a crapload of it. I'm pretty much set for a while.) I doubt you can make your own for less. Oh. And plz no Gatorade haters. It's fairly good tasting, keeps me hydrated, and I don't want to puke it up in the middle of a crit.


I think it depends on your goal. Gatorade is formulated to maximize fluid replacement, which is fine, unless you're more concerned with carbohydrates and/or electrolyte intake.


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## David Loving (Jun 13, 2008)

Green tea and lime; over ice in the bottle.


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## HebrewHammer (Oct 13, 2008)

Kram said:


> Why bother? I got 2 BIG tubs of Gatorade at the local Wegeman's mkt for less than $17. I think they make like 500 gallons of it? (Ok. I exaggerated. But they make a crapload of it. I'm pretty much set for a while.) I doubt you can make your own for less. Oh. And plz no Gatorade haters. It's fairly good tasting, keeps me hydrated, and I don't want to puke it up in the middle of a crit.




That is an excellent price. Is Wegeman's like Sam's Club? I was using Gatorade before and liked it well but I found it a little bit too sweet and I wasn't pumped about the fake colors (yeah, I know there are much worse things out there than Yellow No. 4, but I figure I might as well avoid it when I can).


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## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

No, it's a "upscaleish" (new word) supermarket, similar to Whole Foods. I was really surprised to find it there...


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## Kerry Irons (Feb 25, 2002)

*Redundancy*



HebrewHammer said:


> Just made the first batch of homemade sports drink today:
> 32 oz. package dextrose
> 9 cups Carbo Gain (maltodextrin)
> 15 packets ElectroMix
> 2.5 Tbs. salt.


The dextrose and the maltodextrin serve the same purpose, though the maltodextrin is not as sweet tasting and doesn't gum up your teeth as much. However, it is true that a mix of sugars allows you to absorb about 1/3 more calories per hour than a single sugar, so some second carbohydrate besides the maltodextrin is a good idea.

You can probably get the same effect as the ElectroMix for a lot less money by throwing in some "lite salt" (potassium chloride) and maybe an antacid tablet or two (calcium and magnesium).


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## HebrewHammer (Oct 13, 2008)

Good ideas with the lite salt and tabs. I'll give that a go on the next batch.




whitley19 said:


> Remember, the exact proportions aren't as important as just using it for your long runs.


Couldn't agree with that more. 24k ski race w/ no calories= 14.5 min. off leader. 35k w/ calories= 1.5 minutes off leader.


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

Yes calories and carbs are important if for no other reason you'll wreck your immune system if you drive on empty. 

For me GU20 has a nice profile, but it's kind of pricy. 
Protein: 0g
Calories: 100
Sodium: 240mg
*Carbs: 26g*
Servings: 35
Potassium: 40mg
*Sugars: 4g*


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## HebrewHammer (Oct 13, 2008)

heathb said:


> For me GU20 has a nice profile, but it's kind of pricy.
> [/B]


Is GU20 a gel or a drink?


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## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I just buy the large tubs of Gatoraid at walmart.. 3/4 scoup per 24oz bottle works well enough for me. 

If it's a longer ride I use Accelerade. Sometimes I add a packet of splenda to cover the chalky taste. 

I eat fig bars while I ride.. cheap.. affordable.. easy to digest. Works well for me


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## j-dogg (Feb 19, 2009)

I get Gatorade free at work by the packets, you still have to make it. :thumbsup:


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

HebrewHammer said:


> Is GU20 a gel or a drink?


You can buy gel GU. 

But I'm talking about the GU20, which is a powdered drink solution. 

Manly it would be good for keeping the simple sugars low and the complex carbs high. If your intensity is high then it's better to jump onto something a little stronger with more sugar, for that I use Cytomax.


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## millennium (Apr 3, 2002)

Anybody using Gatorade Endurance formula or at least tried it? I think the taste is much better than regular Gatorade (tasted it at a seminar recently) and there's more sodium than regular gatorade, but it's sure pricey.

I've always been a regular Gatorade powder-in-bulk person, but some of these homemade recipes seem worth a try.


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## HebrewHammer (Oct 13, 2008)

I don't think you can beat Gatorade and other "pre-fabricated" drinks for taste, but sometimes homemade is cheaper and you know exactly what's in there.


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## HomebrewMTB (Jan 14, 2008)

Kerry Irons said:


> The dextrose and the maltodextrin serve the same purpose, though the maltodextrin is not as sweet tasting and doesn't gum up your teeth as much. However, it is true that a mix of sugars allows you to absorb about 1/3 more calories per hour than a single sugar, so some second carbohydrate besides the maltodextrin is a good idea.


All carbs are not created equal. For me, the dextrose or other straight up sugars (sucrose, fructose, or HFCS) will turn my mouth/stomach and can cause osmosis cramps. It depends a lot on the ride, weather, my conditioning, etc though.

The long chain glucose polymers of the maltodextrin are quite bland tasting, easy to digest, and still gets absorbed very quickly. Most of the Gu type products use about 75% maltodextrin for quick carbs and about 25% fructose for sweetness and longer lasting carbs. Fructose, although sweet, actually is much slower to digest (lower glycemic index) since it needs to go to the liver to be digested.

Generally for DIY, I would find a commercial product that works for you and try to duplicate the ingredients. Personally, I prefer to separate my carbs from my hydration though so I don't usually do a drink mix. I much prefer energy gel or Clif bars or other food (banana, PB&J, etc) plus water rather than a carb drink mix. I sometimes make a DIY recovery drink with maltodextrin, Tang or Gatorade drink mix, whey protein and a couple packs of Emergen-C for electrolytes and vitamins.


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## smbrum (Jul 9, 2008)

i found another product at GNC last night. It is cytocarb (I think thats the name). anyway it was relatively cheap at only 14.99 for a large tub of it. Basically a carb additive from what I could tell. So you can add to you water, cytomax, gatorade or whatever you like. I tested it just in cold water. Mixed up by just shaking the bottle and I couldnt taste it at all. I like using cytomax or gatorade for the sodium and other nutrients for hydration but in order to get a strong carb count I have to add too many scoops and dont like it that flavored. This seems like a good solution but I havent tried out the effectiveness of it yet.


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## pretender (Sep 18, 2007)

I just drink my own urine. Costs nothing.


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## kmunny19 (Aug 13, 2008)

V8- 6oz per bottle, fill the rest of the way with water. good for e-lytes, not as much for energy boost, but that's what zone bars are for during the ride, for me at least.


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## swuzzlebubble (Aug 4, 2008)

I have had access to a pre-launch sample of this product.

http://tinyurl.com/or87hd

Mixes up 3ml / litre so a 100ml bottle goes a fair way.
Not sure how/where it will be for sale.
It has only recently become mentioned on the website of the Siberian manufacturer.
The IP is owned by a company local to me in Melbourne,
I know others who have used it speak highly of recovery, energy/stamina and taste.


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## davidka (Dec 12, 2001)

pretender said:


> I just drink my own urine. Costs nothing.


Not true, it costs whatever you drank to make it. Besides, you can't get any nutrients out of your own urine, you need to exchange and drink a teammates. ;-)


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## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

Raw honey. Mix 50/50 with water in a gel flask.

I've been using this for several weeks now. Seems to really hit the spot with high intensity training. Also better for dental health than sticky foods or acidic sports drinks.


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