- The ONLY electrolyte capsule that was formulated to closely resemble the electrolyte profile lost during activity: sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.
- Only 1 capsule per serving. Suggested use: 1 capsule per 30-60 minutes during activity
- Buffered salt composition that helps digestion and absorption
- Each capsule contains: 215 mg sodium, 63 mg potassium, 22 mg calcium, 11 mg magnesium, 100 IU Vitamin D
- Vegetable-based capsule composition; Bio-available active ingredients. GMP production
- Contains only WHAT YOU NEED. No: herbal, trace, questionable components added. Gluten free.
- No sweeteners- no high fructose corn syrup, no sweeteners of any kind
- World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) or International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned substance free
- Unique formulation is patent pending; Engineered by a Ph.D. chemist who is also a pro triathlete
- Saltstick® Caps uniquely includes vitamin D that helps the body absorb and utilize calcium.
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 Capsule |
| Each Capsule Contains |
%DV |
Sodium
(as 550 mg sodium chloride) |
215mg |
9% |
Potassium
(as potassium citrate and potassium chloride) |
63mg |
2% |
Calcium
(as calcium citrate and calcium gluconate) |
22mg |
2% |
Magnesium
(as magnesium citrate and magnesium gluconate) |
11mg |
3% |
| Vitamin D3 |
100 IU |
25% |
| Other Ingredients: Vegetable cellulose (capsules), magnesium stearate, stearic acid (flowing agents) |
Every lot of SaltStick Caps is tested for WADA-prohibited substances.
How else can Ironman World Champions and Half-Ironman World Champions depend on our products?
We recognize the importance of drug-free sport, and of competing on a level playing field. As a sponsor of many elite-level athletes around the globe, we take the safety of our products seriously, and SaltStick Caps is the electrolyte capsule of choice. The product is produced in a cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) facility to ensure product of the highest quality.
SaltStick Caps contain only the ingredients listed on the product label. SaltStick Caps are safe and legal for use in any sporting event governed by the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA), the US Anti-Doping Association (USADA), the UCI (Union Cycliste International), and the NFL (National Football League), among others.
Accidental contamination of supplements with prohibited substances is of great concern for every athlete, especially professionals who are tested on a regular basis. Every lot of SaltStick Caps is tested for WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) prohibited substances by HFL Sport Science, the testing lab behind INFORMED-CHOICE. All lots being sold on the market have tested negative for contamination, and Saltstick Caps is the ONLY electrolyte capsule on the market to be tested.
HFL (and INFORMED-CHOICE) offers the ONLY supplement testing program that uses a WADA-experienced lab and ISO 17025 accredited analytical methods to analyse for banned substances.
SaltStick Caps are produced in a cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) facility, certified by the Natural Products Association. Between each production run, machines in this contract lab are cleaned based on cGMP compliant cleaning procedures, as well as all other handling steps. This ensures the quality of the final product is of the highest pharmaceutical standard.
Salt Science
Why do many athletes need electrolyte supplementation?
Hyponatremia, a medical condition marked by low blood sodium levels, can lead to nausea, fatigue, cramping, vomiting, weakness, sleepiness, and in rare severe cases, even death.
Five electrolytes in particular play a pivotal role in maintaining normal human muscle function: sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride. A shortage of any of these electrolytes will affect athletic performance through a range a subtle to serious side effects.
Sweat typically has about 1000 mg sodium/liter, a typical sports drink has 440 mg sodium/liter. If, during the course of training, you ingest nothing but sports drinks (or worse, water), you will become hyponatremic at some point. Many sports drinks also do not address any form of supplementation of the other key electrolytes, potentially causing yet further cramping and muscle issues.
A popular and simple solution to electrolyte shortage due to sweating is supplementation using electrolyte capsules.
Why do I need more than just sodium? Table salt is easy to find and cheap to add to my drink mix...?
While sodium is the predominant electrolyte lost in sweat, a quartet of other electrolytes (potassium, magnesium, calcium, and chloride) performs crucial roles in muscle contraction, relaxation, and performance. Loss of these electrolytes over time will impair your muscles to function normally. Table salt only contains sodium chloride. Furthermore, adding too much salt to a drink will make it unpalatable and you will be less likely to actually drink it. A capsule delivers the electrolytes you need without tasting bad.
If I take salt capsules, where will I get my carbohydrates?
A strategy that has worked for countless pros and age groupers is to separate your electrolytes from your energy sources so that you can customize the dose of each group. This means to obtain electrolyte supplementation through capsules alone, and an energy source through solid or gel foods and/or complex carb drinks (e.g. maltodextrin).
A low sodium diet...
Scientific research maintains that the average Western diet is already too high in sodium and would benefit from a reduction in sodium intake. As sodium consumption increases, output in sweat also increases to maintain a healthy level in our body. Your body become acclimatized to this intake, and "needs" more sodium to maintain this level of function. However, athletic performance drives up the loss of sodium through sweat. If your diet already contains a lot of sodium, you'll need to maintain a higher level of sodium in your body to keep homeostasis (balance) and your ability to function under athletic stress. This can be accomplished by higher doses of electrolyte supplementation. If your diet is lower in sodium, you will still lose electrolytes through sweat, but you can maintain your appropriate blood electrolyte level with less supplementation. In many respects, the ideal situation is to live a low-sodium diet and supplement during heavy training and racing as needed. Using SaltStick Caps electrolyte capsules will allow you to do this easily, and to customize your dose based on individual need.
What is the science behind SaltStick®Caps?
Simple: What is lost in sweat should be replaced by your electrolyte capsules in a quantity and form which your body can absorb. SaltStick® Caps have been formulated to provide your body with a balanced electrolyte content in the suggested serving of 1 capsule per 30-60 minutes. Two SaltStick Caps in an hour equate to 430 mg sodium, 126 mg potassium, 22 mg magnesium, and 44 mg calcium per hour: The ideal ratio to keep you moving.
What is bioavailability and why does it matter?
A nutrient's bioavailability is the proportion of the nutrient that, when ingested, actually gets absorbed by the body. Absorption rate is important because even when a drug is absorbed completely, it may be absorbed too slowly to produce any effect. SaltStick® Caps contain water-soluble chelated potassium, calcium and magnesium citrates and gluconates that have high bioavailability and fast absorption rates. Sodium chloride present is also bioavailable and quickly absorbed. This is in contrast to some supplements that use forms of these minerals that have lower bioavailability, are insoluble, or require high stomach acid to digest.
Recommended SaltStick Caps Usage Guide
Jonathan Toker, Ph.D.
Download a pdf of this text.
General usage
SaltStick Caps contain a balanced and buffered mixture of the electrolytes that are lost in sweat, in a ratio and form that your body needs for optimal performance. The general guideline for supplementation has been successful for most athletes in a wide range of event distances and training durations. The basic idea is to keep your supplementation simple and effective, so you have one less thing to worry about on race day, and you can focus on the athletic event rather than on surviving your nutrition plan.
As a general guideline, athletes should consume one SaltStick capsule every 30-60 minutes during any land-based activity (bike/run) for the duration of the activity. In hot conditions, extreme humidity, or for larger athletes, a greater number of capsules may be needed to maintain safe electrolyte levels. The maximum number of capsules recommended per day is 10, although athletes in extreme conditions and longer events may find it necessary to exceed this number. It is strongly recommended to test your planned electrolyte protocol in training several times before race day.
It should be stressed that every athlete sweats differently, reacts to heat and humidity differently, and reacts to the stress of a race or training differently. What this means to the athlete in particular is the importance of testing one's electrolyte replacement strategy in training, prior to race day. Listening to your body prior to and during an event is also key, so you can adapt your electrolyte plan accordingly. Being flexible and keeping your plan simple will give you the best chance of success.
Opening capsules into water bottles
Many athletes find it convenient to open 1 or 2 capsules into a water bottle, shaking the liquid contents before each drink to ensure that the small amount of insoluble powder is distributed in the water. A small amount of flavoring (sports drink powder or sugarless drink mix) may be added to enhance the taste. Water bottles prepared in this manner should be consumed as prepared, with limited fresh water as additional fluid. A super-concentrate electrolyte solution can be prepared by adding several capsules to water. Usage of the super-concentrate would involve diluting down a small gulp of the concentrate with fresh water. The downside to this method is an increased risk of miscalculation of electrolyte intake and a strong salty taste. Whichever method is employed, it is strongly recommended to test the protocol in training several times before race day.
Specific Guidelines
Training:
Pre-training: No specific supplementation is necessary. Maintain adequate hydration with sufficient electrolyte content in the days leading up to a major training block to maintain your weight. For long distance training under extreme conditions, take 1 SaltStick capsule the night before your activity, and one capsule with breakfast before your activity.
During training: Most athletes will find that normal training less than 2 hours should not require too much in the way of electrolyte supplementation, and water alone will suffice. Riding or running longer than about 90 minutes, or shorter in hot or humid conditions, should consider taking a SaltStick capsule every 30-60 minutes along with sufficient fresh water to stay hydrated. A mixture of sports drink, water and SaltStick Caps can also be a successful combination. Many athletes find that carbohydrates in the form of gels and energy bars is a good match for water-SaltStick Caps, eliminating the need for a sports drink.
Post-training: Maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance during hard training can be nearly impossible, and proper post-workout recovery is facilitated by ingesting fluid with electrolytes. This can take the form of a balanced electrolyte supplement along with carbohydrates and protein. A simple strategy to ensure adequate electrolyte replenishment is to take 1-2 SaltStick Caps after a hard workout. Excess electrolyte ingestion will simply be excreted in the urine.
Racing: Sprint to Olympic distance triathlon, Half marathon to marathon
(1-4 hours of exercise)
Pre-event: Specific supplementation is not usually necessary. Maintain adequate hydration with sufficient electrolyte content in the days leading up to the event to maintain your weight. For races expecting extreme conditions, take 1-2 SaltStick Caps the night before your event, and one capsule with breakfast before your event.
Race time: For a triathlon, begin electrolyte supplementation on the bike portion of the race, at least 15 min. into your ride. Take 1-2 capsules per hour during the event. For a running-only event, consume 1-2 capsules per hour during the entire event. For events lasting less than an hour, pre-event supplementation should be sufficient under most conditions.
Post-race: Maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance during an event can be nearly impossible, and proper post-race recovery is facilitated by ingesting fluid with electrolytes. This can take the form of a balanced electrolyte supplement along with carbohydrates and protein. A simple strategy to ensure adequate electrolyte replenishment is to take 1-2 SaltStick Caps after a race. Excess electrolyte ingestion will simply be excreted in the urine.
Racing: Half Ironman Distance Triathlon, Marathon/Ultra-Marathon
(4-8 hours of exercise)
Pre-event: During the days leading up to your event, maintain your weight with adequate hydration with sufficient electrolyte content. The water bottle that follows athletes around to the race expo, etc... should be filled with fluid and electrolytes. This can take the form of a sports drink or water and 1 SaltStick cap per 1-2 water bottles, either as a capsule or dissolved in water. A word of caution goes to consuming unnecessary and empty calories in the form of sugars. When in doubt, read the nutrition information on the product in question. For most races, take 1-2 SaltStick Caps the night before your event, and one capsule with breakfast before your event.
Race time: For a triathlon, begin electrolyte supplementation on the bike portion of the race, at least 15 min. into your ride. Take 1-2 capsules per hour during the event. For a running-only event, consume 1-2 capsules per hour during the entire event. Hot or humid conditions may require more than 2 capsules per hour.
Post-race: Maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance during an event can be nearly impossible, and proper post-race recovery is facilitated by ingesting fluid with electrolytes. This can take the form of a balanced electrolyte supplement along with carbohydrates and protein. A simple strategy to ensure adequate electrolyte replenishment is to take 1-2 SaltStick Caps after a race. Excess electrolyte ingestion will simply be excreted in the urine.
Racing: Ironman Distance and Ultra-Marathon
(8+ hours of exercise)
Pre-event: During the days leading up to your event, maintain your weight with adequate hydration with sufficient electrolyte content. The water bottle that follows athletes around to the race expo, etc... should be filled with fluid and electrolytes. This can take the form of a sports drink or water and 1 SaltStick cap per 1-2 water bottles, either as a capsule or dissolved in water. A word of caution goes to consuming unnecessary and empty calories in the form of sugars. When in doubt, read the nutrition information on the product in question. For all races, take 1-2 SaltStick Caps the night before your event, and one capsule with breakfast before your event.
Race time: For a triathlon, begin electrolyte supplementation on the bike portion of the race, at least 30 min. into your ride. Take 1-2 capsules per hour during the bike portion of the event. Once on the run, many athletes find that cramping becomes more likely, and dosing of SaltStick Caps may begin to climb. Towards the second half of the marathon, many athletes find that electrolyte intake becomes critical for forward movement, and may find it necessary to increase the dose of capsules per hour. Have some extra SaltStick Caps available in your special-needs bag (if available) as a backup measure. For a running-only event, consume 1-2 capsules per hour during the entire event. Towards the end of the race, many athletes find that electrolyte intake becomes critical for forward movement, and may find it necessary to increase the dose of capsules per hour. Hot or humid conditions may require more than 2 capsules per hour.
Post-race: Maintaining proper hydration and electrolyte balance during an event can be nearly impossible, and proper post-race recovery is facilitated by ingesting fluid with electrolytes. This can take the form of a balanced electrolyte supplement along with carbohydrates and protein. A simple strategy to ensure adequate electrolyte replenishment is to take 1-2 SaltStick Caps after a race. Excess electrolyte ingestion will simply be excreted in the urine.
The Importance of Potassium Supplementation in Endurance Training and Racing
Jonathan Toker, Ph.D.
Download a pdf of this text.
Introduction:
Potassium is the primary electrolyte located inside the body's cells (intracellular) and stored in muscle fibers along with glycogen. It plays a critical role by helping transport glucose into the muscle cell. Potassium also interacts with both sodium and chloride to control fluid and electrolyte balance and assists in the conduction of nerve impulses. When glycogen breaks down to supply energy for your workouts, muscle cells are depleted of potassium. As a result, there is a greater concentration of potassium in your blood and greater quantities are lost in sweat and urine. Potassium deficiency symptoms are nausea, slower reflexes, vomiting, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, cramping, and rapid heart rate.
|
Extracellular (mmol/L) |
Sweat (mmol/L) |
Intracellular (mmol/L) |
| Sodium |
137-144 |
20-80 |
10 |
| Potassium |
3.5-4.9 |
4.0-8.0 |
148 |
| Magnesium |
4.4-5.2 |
3.0-4.0 |
0-2.0 |
| Chloride |
100-108 |
30-70 |
2 |
From Maughan and Shirreffs, 1998. Fluid and electrolyte loss and replacement in exercise. In Oxford textbook of sports medicine, 2nd Edition. Edited by Harris, Williams, Stanish, and Micheli. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 97-113
Potassium Biology and Measurement:
Potassium is the principal intracellular cation, with a concentration of about 145 mEq/L, as compared with a normal value of 3.5 - 5.0 mEq/L in extracellular fluid, including blood. More than 98% of the body's potassium is intracellular; measuring it from a blood sample is relatively insensitive, with small fluctuations in the blood corresponding to very large changes in the total bodily reservoir of potassium.
The electrochemical gradient of potassium between intracellular and extracellular space is essential for nerve function; in particular, potassium is needed to repolarize the cell membrane to a resting state after an action potential has passed. This means that the presence of potassium is critical to "reset" the nerve for the next activity. Decreased potassium levels in the extracellular space will cause hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential. As a result, a greater than normal stimulus is required for depolarization of the membrane in order to initiate an action potential. Simply, this means that lack of potassium will slow down or halt nerve and muscle action.
Potassium Loss:
Potassium, as with other electrolytes including sodium, calcium and magnesium, is lost primarily in urine and sweat. Based on an average loss of 4-8 mmol/L sweat, this converts to a loss of 100-200 mg potassium per hour for an average adult during activity. Observations in humans (Knochel, 1978; Knochel, 1982) have shown that potassium deficiency induced by a variety of mechanisms can be responsible for muscle injury. Findings that potentially serious potassium deficiency occurs during training in a hot climate infers that the associated muscle injury could be partially explained by potassium deficiency. Simply, this means that activity increases loss of potassium, and this loss has the potential to cause injury to muscle tissue. Potassium deficiency symptoms are nausea, slower reflexes, vomiting, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, cramping, and rapid heart rate.
Supplementation:
External supplementation of potassium is a viable means to replenish lost potassium. A quantity of 75-150 mg/hr is an adequate replenishment amount for an average adult. Even though 100-200 mg are lost in sweat alone (not counting internal muscle and cell use), if replaced all at once, optimal sodium balance is altered. In addition, too much potassium is hard on the stomach and can cause severe stomach distress. Note that potassium should be replaced along with sodium, calcium and magnesium, all importantly lost in sweat. SaltStick Caps contribute 63 mg of usable potassium per capsule, with a suggested dose of 1 capsule per 30-60 minutes.
Too Much Potassium?
Replenishing lost potassium during and after exercise is important, but athletes should be aware that hyperkalemia (high serum potassium levels) can cause electrical impulse disturbance, irregular heart beat, and possibly death. Individuals should never take potassium supplements in large doses (beyond normal supplementation) without the advice of a physician.
It is worth noting that hyperkalemia can also result when a large amount of potassium is suddenly released from the cells as a result from crush injuries (involving the destruction of large amounts of muscle tissue) or severe burns. The rapid movement of potassium from the cells into the bloodstream can overwhelm the kidneys and result in hyperkalemia. This type of release is not characteristic of endurance events.
As athletes are not "typical" in their nutrient needs, the national dietary guidelines established for average adults often do not apply to athletes, workers, soldiers, and other physically active individuals.
Practical Tips for Athletes:
- During training, record your body weight before and after practice or training sessions. Weight loss indicates the need to drink more during future practices. Weight gain is a sign that you drank too much.
- Weigh yourself each morning after urinating. If your body weight is ~0.5 kg or more lower than the previous morning, you may be dehydrated and need to increase fluid intake during the day.
- Another way to check your hydration status is to monitor the color of your urine the first time you urinate in the morning. If the color is more like apple juice than lemonade, drink more during the day.
- Drink 500 mL of water, fruit juice, or sports drink 2 hours before practice or training sessions. During practice, drink at regular intervals. If you lose weight during practice, drink 600 -750 ml for 0.5 kg of weight loss if rapid rehydration is needed.
- Take advantage of opportunities to drink throughout the day, especially with meals and snacks.
- Salt your food to taste. Replacing sodium and other electrolytes is essential for rapid and complete rehydration.
- Anytime you are sweating, rather than drinking water only, consume a sports drink with adequate electrolyte content or drink water along with solid electrolyte capsules to improve hydration and provide energy.
