Endurolyte knowledge, right from the source. A reply to a runner.

Dear J,

   Thank you for contacting Hammer Nutrition.

   A more detailed usage suggestion we like to give is to take 1 capsule per 50 pounds of bodyweight per hour as a starting point.  You can certainly increase this amount if necessary.  Proper electrolyte supplementation becomes more important the longer the duration of your run so in a 24 hour event you'll probably notice the need for Endurolytes more than on a 4 hour run and you may find you need a few more than you normally would which is fine.  If you start feeling some muscle twinges or cramps coming on or if you notice you're getting nauseous, developing a headache, or getting dizzy you may want to take another couple capsules to combat the onsetting symptoms before they become serious.  As with anything, I'm sure you could eventually overdo it on Endurolytes but as long as you're taking a reasonabe amount you shouldn't have any issues with overdosing.  If you find you need more than 6 capsules per hour (unlikely) email or call me back and I can look into your situation further.  I would encourage you to check out this article on electrolyte replenishment for further information.

   Closely related to electrolyte replenishment and equally important is proper hydration.  For best results, you should always maintain hourly hydration between 16-28oz.  This too will help prevent muscle cramps and other symptoms related to electrolyte deficiency.  This article on hydration has additional information on how to properly hydrate during exercise and throughout the day.

   For an energy fuel to keep you going strong all day, the Perpetuem or Sustained Energy would be great choices for workouts and competition lasting 2 hours or more.  If you're only doing a shorter workout that's less than 2 hours, Hammer Gel or HEED would be great.  Hammer Gel also makes a great complement to the Perpetuem on events like these and can be used intermittently with Perpetuem to give you a change in fueling and some quick energy when needed.  This article on proper caloric intake goes into more detail on how to properly fuel for endurance events.  Additionally, the "less is best" article explains the importance of adopting this essential principal to prevent upsetting your stomach, bonking, and cramping related to over fueling.  In these articles, we suggest avoiding solid food because it's harder to digest and doesn't provide the same quality of energy as our energy fuels do but if you find yourself at a walking pace for a time during this event, you might take the opportunity to eat small portions of easily digestible food such as a Hammer bar or some fruit maybe if only to break up the monotany of drinking Perpetuem the whole time.  Just remember to keep the portions really small so as not to upset your stomach.

   Remember to always take Recoverite after your workouts to help you get the most out of your training.  Taking Recoverite immediately following most workouts is one of the best ways to improve fitness and reduce post exercise soreness.  This article on recovery offers further suggestions on how to reap maximal benefits from your training, and explains how the recovery process is just as important as the actual training you put in.

   The first place I always recommend people start with our supplements is the Daily Essentials Kit.  These 3 supplements offer the widest range of benefits of all our products and help with energy production both during training and all day long, provide powerful antioxidant support, help with aerobic capacity, recovery, support the immune system, fill in the gaps where the diet may be lacking, and can even help increase longevity!  Please check out the Hammer Nutrition Daily Essentials Formula to see why we consider these products so important.  I really think these would be highly beneficial for you to take during your endurance training and racing to promote energy production (as discussed further in the article Epic Workout/Race Supplement Suggestions).

Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns.

Regards,