Let’s get this out of the way.
I am the one that has never actually purposefully supplemented with electrolytes.
From the 5k to the 100 mile ultra, no salt or electrolyte pills. Of course I’ve taken electrolytes in, but never have I singled them out during supplementation.
I’ve nothing against electrolytes, but I am not a believer in the electrolyte depletion theory of muscle cramping. I do not think electrolytes are the cause of muscle cramps.
Recently though I have tested out the EFS (electrolyte fuel system) Electrolyte Drink from 1st Endurance.
There are a few characteristics of this powder that should be addressed.
Carbohydrate
There are 96 calories per scoop, with carbohydrate coming from a variety of carb sources (not simply pure maltodextrin). This means there are a variety of pathways for the carbohydrate metabolism, which can ease digestion.
Amino Acids
I’m a huge fan of amino acids being included within sports fuel. This not only can spare muscle tissue but there has been decades of research showing a performance benefit to having free form amino acids taken in during high intensity training.
Electrolytes
As I said, I’m not one to supplement with electrolytes alone. However I’m not going to avoid a fuel because it has electrolytes in it. 1st Endurance claims that their EFS Electrolyte Drink has the highest concentration of electrolytes on the market. Might as well bring in plenty compared to Gatorade’s dismally small amounts.
Malic Acid
This unique inclusion has been shown in studies to stimulate oxygen consumption.
It should be noted that it is extremely difficult to actually tell if a nutritional product worked or not. I obviously did not test this on myself in a laboratory in a double blind, however I used it during harder workouts and did not feel any adverse reactions. And I’m quite confident it worked in that it fueled that particular workout.
What I like most about First Endurance is that they seem to be a brand heavily invested into science. When I was in college I was actually a subject during a study looking at the effectiveness of their PreRace supplement (it was effective). If you browse their website you’ll see a great deal of education about their products.
Due to the free shipping, tubs can be least expensively purchased from Amazon. That affiliate link also gives a few cents back to the blog here, which is greatly appreciated!
Oh, and flavor I recommend. Grape, duh 😉 I tested out some single serving pouches before purchasing a larger amount, however currently it looks like they are completely out of stock of that option at the website.