Basics
There is no other supplement on the market geared toward athletes where individual dosing recommendations can very so widely. The electrolyte requirements for athlete "A" can possibly be 10 times the amount that athlete "B" requires to achieve similar results. Electrolyte replacement can also be the single most important piece to your fueling puzzle as electrolytes have the ability to single-handedly derail your athletic endeavors. Just look at any single sports drink on the market that is geared toward athletes and you'll find that each company has their own patent on their blend of electrolytes. Every company also deems their blend as "the best." Well, truth be told there is not one single blend of electrolytes that works for every person. Electrolyte replacement is different from carbohydrate and fluid replacement. There is a general window of how many calories a body can absorb per hour during exercise but there is no such window for electrolytes. As I stated above, every single person is different and it is up to you to find your own individual sweet spot during your training and racing.
You must also realize that electrolytes ≠ sodium. There is so much more than sodium to electrolytes. Sodium alone can not and will not effectively replenish electrolyte needs and may cause more problems than it resolves. With Endurolytes you're assured of getting all of the right minerals in exactly the right balance. Sodium Chloride (salt) is indeed an important component of electrolyte replenishment, but it does not fulfill the entire requirement. A satisfactory electrolyte replenishment product needs to include balanced amounts of sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, as these minerals work synergistically in the maintenance of important body functions, such as muscular contraction.
Hammer Nutrition's Endurolytes come in 4 different varieties; Powder, Capsule, Endurolytes Fizz, and a brand new Endurolytes Extreme. The Powder and Capsules contain nearly identical ingredients lists and contain similar ratios of the same spectrum of electrolytes. The single difference between the two is that Hammer added 50 mg of the amino acid glycine, which helps neutralize the naturally salty, slightly bitter taste of the electrolytic minerals. The new Endurolytes Extreme contains three times the sodium and potassium as the original Endurolytes formula and is specifically designed for those athletes training and competing in the harshest of conditions. Endurolytes Fizz is essentially the same formula as Endurolytes, only in an effervescent tablet. When comparing the serving size of each of the three forms of Endurolytes, 1 scoop of the powder equals 1 capsule and equals a half of a tablet of Endurolytes Fizz (1 tablet = 2 capsules/scoops). Endurolytes Fizz comes in 4 flavors; Grapefruit, Grape, Lemon-Lime, and Mango. All flavors are designed with very subtle flavors, none of which are over powering. Endurolytes Fizz is made with all natural ingredients and has no toxic ingredients which are commonly found in other popular effervescent electrolyte tablets. See the chart below for specific differences between Endurolytes and Endurolytes Fizz.
What’s the difference?
Endurolytes vs. Endurolytes Fizz
1) It was necessary to use bicarbonate forms of sodium and potassium—and more total sodium in Endurolytes Fizz than in Endurolytes capsules/powder—in order to achieve the desired effervescent properties.
2) Because more sodium (via sodium bicarbonate) is necessary in Endurolytes Fizz, the formula required slightly less chloride. However, the net total of both of those mineral components combined is extremely close, with only a 30 mg difference between the two products – one Endurolytes capsule/scoop of powder contains a total of 100 mg of sodium and chloride combined, and one-half of an Endurolytes Fizz tablet contains a total of 130 mg of sodium and chloride combined.
3) Endurolytes Fizz contains magnesium in the oxide form, calcium in the carbonate form (as well as the chloride form), and manganese in the gluconate form, whereas Endurolytes in capsule/powder forms use amino acid chelate forms. These specific forms of minerals were chosen for Endurolytes Fizz because these particular chelating agents do not inhibit the effervescent reaction process, and in some cases aid in the process. Conversely, an amino acid chelate (as is used in Endurolytes capsules and Endurolytes Powder) would severely inhibit and perhaps even halt the process.
4) The amounts of potassium are higher in one-half tablet of Endurolytes Fizz (50 mg) than in one Endurolytes capsule/scoop of powder (25 mg). As mentioned in #1, the formula required more bicarbonates in order to achieve the desired effervescent properties while also helping to maintain a fairly close sodium-to-potassium ratio (62.5% in Endurolytes capsules, and 50% in Endurolytes Fizz).
| Endurolytes Capsules Supplement Facts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size 1 capsule | ||
| Amount Per Serving | %DV | |
| Sodium (as Sodium Chloride) | 40mg | 2% |
| Chloride (as Sodium Chloride) | 60mg | 2% |
| Calcium (as Chelate) | 50mg | 5% |
| Magnesium (as Chelate) | 25mg | 6% |
| Potassium (as Chelate) | 25mg | 1% |
| Vitamin B-6 (as Pyridoxine HCL) | 6.6mg | 330% |
| Manganese (as Chelate) | 1.6mg | 80% |
| L-Tyrosine | 50mg | † |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. † Daily Value not established. | ||
| Other Ingredients: Rice Flour, Dicalcium Phosphate, Vegetable Capsules (plant cellulose and water), and Magnesium Stearate. | ||
| Endurolytes Fizz Lemon-Lime Supplement Facts | ||
|---|---|---|
| Serving Size: 1 tablet (4.1g) | ||
| Amount Per Serving | %DV | |
| Calories | 10 | |
| Total Carbohydrate | <1g | <1% |
| Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxine Hydrochloride) | 13mg | 650% |
| Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Chloride) | 100mg | 10% |
| Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide) | 50mg | 13% |
| Manganese (as Manganese Gluconate) | 3mg | 150% |
| Chloride (as Calcium Chloride) | 60mg | 2% |
| Sodium (as Sodium Bicarbonate) | 200mg | 8% |
| Potassium (as Potassium Bicarbonate) | 100mg | 3% |
| Tyrosine (as L-Tyrosine) | 100mg | † |
| * The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. † Daily Value not established. | ||
| Other Ingredients: Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Sorbitol, Stevia, Wheat Germ Oil*. | ||
| *Patent Pending | ||
Uses
Using any of the three forms of Endurolytes depends greatly on your personal needs for electrolyte replenishment. Hammer Nutrition does offer a sports drink that has a full spectrum of electrolytes along with 100 calories per serving. A single serving of Heed contains approximately a half tablet of Fizz (1 capsule of Endurolytes). Specifically, Endurolytes should be taken as needed, but primarily when:
- Exercise last for more than 2 hours, regardless of temperature or humidity.
- Exercise lasts less than 2 hours and:
- Temperatures are above 80 degrees and/or 70% humidity or
- Temperatures and/or humidity are over 10 degrees from your normal range of what you are accustom to.
Personally, I use Endurolytes capsules during anything longer than 2-2.5 hours, such as a marathon, long training runs, Half Iron and Full Iron distance races. I opt to use Endurolytes Fizz during shorter more intense races or training sessions where hydration is more important than refueling with calories (such as 1-2 hour indoor workouts). I would encourage folks to look at replacing their chemical filled sports drinks (Gatorade, Powerade, etc), a simple Hammer Endurolytes Fizz Tablet - especially when calorie replacement is not necessary. I personally feel that these companies have forced the idea that any exercise (no matter the duration) requires calorie and electrolyte replacement. And to be honest, that couldn't be further from the truth!
Hammer also carries capsule dispensers for a mere $0.75, which are highly recommended for carrying your Endurolytes during your training and racing.
Suggested Dosing
As I mentioned above, each individual athlete needs to experiment with different levels of electrolytes during training and racing and in different environmental conditions to find the perfect dosing for their individual needs. During Ironman Wisconsin, where I had mild temperatures (70's), I added a single tablet of Endurolytes Fizz to my water bottle every hour during the bike and transitioned to 2-3 capsules of Endurolytes during the run. With that being said, below are some basic guidelines to get you started in the right direction.Capsule Usage Instructions
- Lighter weight athletes: 1-2 capsules per hour
- Medium weight athletes: 2-3 capsules per hour
- Larger athletes: 4-6 capsules per hour
Powder Mixing/Usage Instructions
- Lighter weight athletes: 1-2 scoops per hour
- Medium weight athletes: 2-3 scoops per hour
- Larger athletes: 4-6 scoops per hour
- Please note that taste issues may limit you to 1-3 scoops per hour. If conditions warrant additional dosing, capsules should be used/considered.
Fizz Mixing/Usage Instructions
- Lighter weight athletes: 0.5-1 tablets per hour
- Medium weight athletes: 1-1.5 tablets per hour
- Larger athletes: 2-3 tablets per hour
Notes:
Endurolytes DOES NOT prevent heat stroke, hyponatremia, or any other dangerous physical condition resulting from overexertion in the heat.Body weight, level of fitness, weather conditions, acclimatization level, and biological predisposition all greatly affect electrolyte depletion so you must do your own trials with Endurolytes dosing, under a variety of conditions, to determine individual requirements.
At 10 calories per tablet, Endurolytes Fizz is not a source of calories.
