FAQ
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Replace Electrolyte is a unique sustained-release electrolyte replacement tablet. It features a balanced and buffered electrolyte formula that contains sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and phosphate. Since tablets are sustained-release, you take fewer tablets, less often.
Replace® Electrolyte works by slowly releasing electrolytes over a period of 4 to 6 hours as your body needs them to help you absorb and retain the water you drink. This action, in turn, helps you maintain proper fluid balance, prevent dehydration during activity, and rehydrate fast. You simply drink water according to your thirst.*
Replace Electrolyte is specifically formulated for athletes, workers and active adults who engage in vigorous physical activity that lasts more than one hour, especially activities that occur during hot, humid conditions.
Replace Electrolyte is ideally suited for endurance athletes, soldiers, firefighters and others who need serious hydration support without the fuss of carrying extra bulk or frequent dosing.
As an electrolyte replacement, take 1-3 Replace tablets with a large glass of water one-half hour prior to physical activity that results in fluid loss. The dose depends on the duration of your activity and the volume of fluid you lose. Replace Electrolyte can also be taken after fluid loss to help restore electrolyte and fluid balance. For events lasting longer than 3 hours, you may need to redose for optimal hydration. Drink plenty of water according to thirst.*
Replace sustained-release tablets feature a proprietary vegetable wax matrix that allows the electrolytes to slowly release from the tablet over a 4 to 6 hour period. In this way, the electrolytes are available to be absorbed as your body needs them so you can better absorb and retain the water you drink. This gradual release means you take fewer tablets, less often.*
By contrast, typical immediate-release tablets or liquid products rapidly hit the gut (which can cause digestive upset) and quickly enter the bloodstream. What your body doesn't use ends up in your urine.
Electrolytes are minerals like sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium and phosphate that carry an electric charge when dissolved in blood and other body fluids. In the body, electrolytes are found inside and around cells and tissues as well as in blood, urine, sweat and other body fluids. Electrolyte balance is critical for optimal nerve and muscle function, to keep your body’s pH level in the normal range, and to maintain fluid balance.
Athletes and active adults who engage in vigorous, prolonged physical activity, especially in hot, humid climates, lose electrolytes in their sweat and urine. This electrolyte loss needs to be replenished.
You can gauge your hydration status by monitoring the color and volume of your urine. A pale yellow color is ideal. A dark color or low volume of urine is typically a sign that you are dehydrated.
You can estimate how much sweat you lose during an activity by weighing yourself before and after an activity. In general, a loss of 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight represents approximately 1 liter of sweat loss. Do this on a regular basis and you will get a feel for how much you sweat during various activities and, more importantly, how much water and electrolytes you need to replenish.
Sodium concentration in sweat varies widely amount individuals. Some athletes are prone to large sodium losses, while others will not. A white residue on your skin and clothing after sweat dries is a good indication that you are losing a large amount of salt (sodium chloride) in your sweat. Electrolyte replacement is especially important for “salty sweaters” because excess sodium loss in sweat increases the risk of heat-related problems, abnormally low blood sodium (hyponatremia) and muscle cramps.
Staying properly hydrated during vigorous, prolonged activity is critical if you want to maintain peak performance and delay fatigue. Hydration helps you maintain mental sharpness, agility and reaction time. You’ll also recover faster. Plus, when your body is properly hydrated, you have less stress on your heart, and you can regulate your body heat better.
Being properly hydrated before activity is one of the easiest things you can do to prepare your body (and brain) for peak performance. Taking Replace Electrolyte before activity will help you retain the water you drink.*
Nutrition experts recommend athletes and active adults drink water about 2 to 4 hours before exercise. This allows enough time to void any excess fluid before activity. As a rule of thumb, drink about 5 to 10 milliliters per kilogram of body weight (2.3 to 4.5 milliliters per pound of body weight). See the table below for the recommended water intake before activity.
Water Intake 2 to 4 Hours Before Activity
| Body Weight | Amount* |
|---|---|
| 100 - 119 lbs | 8 to 18 fl. oz. |
| 120 - 139 lbs | 9 to 21 fl. oz. |
| 140 - 159 lbs | 11 to 24 fl. oz. |
| 160 - 179 lbs | 12 to 28 fl. oz. |
| 180 - 199 lbs | 14 to 31 fl. oz. |
| 200 - 219 lbs | 15 to 34 fl. oz. |
| 220 - 239 lbs | 17 to 37 fl. oz. |
| 240-plus lbs | 18 to 37 fl. oz. |
*Volume equivalent to 5-10 mL/kg body weight.
Source: 2016 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.
Nutrition experts recommend that athletes and active adults drink enough water during activity to replace sweat losses so that the total loss of body fluid is less than 2 percent of body weight. In practical terms, this means you should aim to drink up to 16 fluid ounces of water for every pound you lose per hour. See the table below for the recommended water intake during activity.
Water Intake During Activity
| Pounds Lost | Suggested Water Intake
(within about 30 minutes)* |
|---|---|
| 0.5 to 1.0 | 8 to 16 fl. oz. |
| 1.0 to 1.5 | 16 to 24 fl. oz. |
| 1.5 to 2.0 | 24 to 32 fl. oz. |
| 2.0 to 3.0 | 32 to 48 fl. oz. |
| 3.0 to 4.0 | 48 to 64 fl. oz. |
* Based on drinking up to 16 fl. oz. per pound lost.
Source: 2016 Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine: Nutrition and Athletic Performance.
- For an activity that last less than 60 minutes or has a low-to-moderate intensity, drink water according to thirst.
- For a longer (more than 60 minutes) or more intense activity, or multiple events on the same day, take Replace Electrolyte before activity, and drink water during activity according to thirst.
- For an activity lasting longer than 3 hours, you may need to redose with Replace Electrolyte for optimal hydration.* Replacing electrolytes is especially important during hot, humid conditions to help retain the water you drink. Drink to quench your thirst, and avoid overdrinking in excess of sweat and urinary losses.
Athletes and active adults should aim to drink about 20 fluid ounces of water for every pound lost because sweat losses and urine losses continue during post-exercise recovery. Drink water at a modest rate to minimize urinary losses, and take Replace Electrolyte to help retain the fluid you drink and rehydrate fast.*
Yes, drinking too much water – an amount in excess of what you lose in your sweat and urine – causes the sodium level in your blood to be abnormally low. This is known as water intoxication (hyponatremia), and it’s potentially dangerous.
Overdrinking appears to be more common in recreational athletes than in competitive athletes. Recreational athletes have lower sweat rates, but they are more like to believe they need to drink more. Women also appear to be at greater risk of overdrinking because they generally have a smaller body size and lower sweat rates than men.
A proper hydration plan (see above) combined with electrolyte replacement is your best approach to keep you body fluids in balance before, during and after activity so you can perform at your best.