What should I add to water?

[Danny251]

I feel that water goes straight through me. What can I add to make my body absorb it better when cycling? Thanks!

 

[Rob3rt]

How much water are you drinking? How long are you cycling for?

 

[Danny251]

About 600ml for a 30-40 mile cycle. Is this too much ?

 

[Spinney]

If it's going right through you, your body obviously doesn't need it!

 

[Danny251]

Well I suppose but is there anything that people add to make your body absorb better ?

 

[snorri]

Depends on the ambient temperature and how much effort you are applying throughout the 30-40 miles. I would usually carry .5L of tea for outings of that distance.

 

[Oldlegs]

Err - without getting too scatalogical

If the water is coming out the normal way its been absorbed by the body and then ejected by the kidneys as surplus to requirements.

 

[Zoiders]

Are you whazzing like a race horse or sweating like one?

As the second means you need to carry a bit more water or a sports drink with electrolytes.

 

[derrick]

Would sugar make a differance ?

 

[Baggy]

Nuun electrolyte tablets are good.

 

[Danny251]

Thanks guys.

 

[HLaB]

It all depends what I'm doing the weather etc but for a 30-40 mile ride, I'll take anything from 300ml to 700ml, so 600ml doesn't sound like too much. Last evening, I went for a wee recovery ride but changed my mind after 5 miles and upped the distance & pace to just under 28 mile, I used just more than 4/5 of my 500ml bottle which had half a Nuun Tablet in it. If I'm going for a more planned & sustained effort, I like to prehyrdate, sipping liquid over a period of time before I'm actually cycling. Sometimes I take just water or diluted other times I use a BR recipe although I reduce the measures to suit an 800ml bottle and occasionally I use Nuun tablets and have also use High5 tabs and Torq powder in the past.

 

[cyco2]

Look up the words....Isotonic......Hypotonic.....Hypertonic. It may help you to understand how fluids are used in the body.