I have tried the YouTube chiropractors brand for electrolytes. And while I believe the nutrients are good The taste is terrible, either tastes like something well…terrible or children’s medicine. I went to Walmart and my local grocery store and saw black cherry and cherry which are my favorite flavors but they both had maltodextrin which is essentially sugar and even though it said zero calories zero carb it will break autophagy.
I’m looking for a decent flavor and brand of electrolytes that will not break autophagy. Any suggestions? I’m also open to no flavor if it has all the electrolytes needed.
Hey there! Experienced faster here, hope I can help.
My best advice for ensuring your autophagy is not compromised and fast broken - especially on a prolonged fast - is to avoid flavor 100%, just stick with pure powders.
• Sodium bicarbonate: Any generic baking soda will do, just be sure it’s not “baking powder.” This will help mitigate acidity and facilitate alkalizing your system
• Potassium citrate: Now Foods “pure powder” is a super clean and high quality source which is also cost-effective, if you buy the “pure powder” type (and not capsules)
• Magnesium citrate: again, I suggest Now Foods “pure powder,” for the above reasons.
Some notes about taking electrolytes:
• A full daily dose of potassium taken all at once has some blood pressure lowering effects. It’s safe for almost everyone, but risky for those whose default BP is already low, and for those on medications which lower blood pressure. In those cases, you ought to dilute your potassium and sodium in particular in about 2L of water, and sip that throughout the day
• Taking a full dose of sodium, potassium, and magnesium all in one shot often causes stomach upset, nausea, and laxative effects. Additionally, it is highly unpalatable, and tastes pretty disgusting. Again, diluting your electrolytes is the best solution for avoiding all of that. That said, I personally prefer to take them all in one shot, despite the taste, because I know I can handle the gastro effects and want to get it over with ASAP. I always have mouth wash and a toothbrush loaded with toothpaste ready to go right after drinking my daily electrolytes.
• If you do experience laxative effects from taking electrolytes all at once, stay mindful of how much water is dropped after each visit to the WC. I weigh myself before and after. I will then drink the same amount of pure water that I dropped in the WC. This way, I avoid dehydration. Keep in mind that drinking more than your daily requirement of water also means your total sodium needs to a bit higher. This matters the most on the really long fasts.
• Understand the balancing effects of sodium and potassium, and especially how they work on blood pressure. Each of us has a different individual need, and in my case I need about 4-6g of sodium per day (about double the daily requirement per nutritional guidelines). If I do not, I get very uncomfortable side effects from too little sodium within 24 hours while on a long fast, including high cortisol, stress, insomnia, restless leg at night, headaches, and so on. More sodium is the cure in my case. However, I also keep up with the potassium, which I take in about equal portions to sodium. How your levels need to be dialed in will be unique to you, so I suggest you DYOR and stay mindful as you progress. Sodium raises BP, potassium lowers it. They are like two sides to one coin.
Hope this helps!
And good luck!