Are you ready to LYTE up?

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

blytezonesportsdrink

I’m channeling my best Katy Perry here; get it? But seriously, when the folks at Lyteline reached out to me and asked if I wanted to try their new electrolyte drink, Lytezone, I said sure.

Disclaimer: I received Lytezone free in exchange for a review on this blog. The opinions expressed in the blog are my own.

I am a heavy sweater and I’m prone to cramps when it’s hot. And I haven’t really found an electrolyte replacement system that works for me. Here’s what I’ve tried:

I don’t like sweet things when I run long, which is why I stopped taking Nuun (although it can taste great after a hot run!). Taking a pill mid race was way too cumbersome — if I didn’t manage to lose it, sometimes I dropped it when taking it out of a ziploc, and there isn’t a lot of time to get that sucker down, anyway.

I’ve been pretty happy with Saltstick Fastchews, but I was intrigued by the emphasis on magnesium rather than sodium in Lyteline’s sports drink.

Why do you need magnesium?
It’s rare to actually have a magnesium deficiency, unless you have a pretty serious chronic disease. What isn’t rare? Not having an adequate amount of magnesium. So why should you care?

A few of the benefits of magnesium:

  • Sustain the health of your heart and blood vessels
  • Relieve constipation
  • Helps maintain bone health

Why do endurance athletes need magnesium?

  • Combat fatigue
  • Prevent muscle cramps
  • Increase immuntiy

This is just a very brief overview of a few of the things magnesium does for your body. Remember, I am not a coach or a medical professional.

I had been taking a magnesium supplement for about a year, but I still continue to be plagued by occasional muscle cramps. I’ve also recently started using topical magnesium to combat the cramps and help with sleep (the jury is still out on that).

So I liked the emphasis on magnesium.

It’s not only magnesium
Lytezone isn’t only about magnesium. It also does supplement sodium, potassium, and zinc. What’s not in the bottle? Sugar. As in, zero. No stevia either. No sweetener of any kind, in fact. And I liked that — as I mentioned, I don’t want something sweet when I’m running long.

But how does it taste?
The literature I got with my sample summed it up nicely:

Has a slight lemon and mineral flavor. We intentionally avoid artificial flavors or sweeteners. Tastes similar to water and is best enjoyed cold!

Because my sample arrived the day after some travel to my parents, I opened it right up and tried it. Yes, it definitely tastes better cold (it was room temperature). And yes, it tastes like mineral water with a very slight lemon flavor.

If you like mineral water, you’ll enjoy the taste of Lytezone. If you love your Nuun, Lytezone might not float your boat. But if your Nuun isn’t helping to prevent cramps or give you the energy you’re seeking, you might like to try Lytezone.

I am not personally a fan of mineral water. So while I can’t say I loved the flavor of Lytezone, it wasn’t off putting — it just took a little getting used to.

But does it work?
Unfortunately I received this product after all my double digit long runs were done. However, I did use it on some shorter (4-6 mile) runs and my last 8 mile long run. There was no cramping (muscle or stomach, but I don’t normally have stomach problems).

It’s a little too soon for me to really tell whether or not this is the magic bullet for me when it comes to muscle cramping, but I would definitely recommend it — and plan to keep experimenting with it.

I did not use Lytezone in my most recent half marathon, because I felt that I hadn’t adequately tested it out on truly long runs. Perhaps it would have prevented the muscle cramping I got after the race — despite the chilly temps.

Tor-box

This week I am also joining up with Running on Happy, Suzlyfe, Crazy Running Girl, and Coach Debbie Runs each week for the Coaches’ Corner linkup

coachescornerTalk to me:

What do you use for electrolytes on the run?

Have you ever thought about supplementing with magnesium?

What’s your solution for muscle cramping?

 

17 thoughts on “Are you ready to LYTE up?”

  1. This is a boring comment.

    I don’t use electrolytes. Haven’t tried them but I’m just a plain water gal. Water is FREE.

    Same goes for magnesium – don’t even take vitamins.

    Haven’t had muscle cramps while running but the cold did bother me on Sunday after I walked and started to run again. I felt like I NEVER warmed up during the race. I guess I need SUNSHINE!!!

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    1. I think you just needed to wear something other than a tank. 🙂 I was very glad I didn’t wear a tank! The sun would have made a great deal of difference. Just the luck of the draw.

      My mom keeps saying you had such beautiful weather . . . I keep trying to tell her not during the race! Could have been worse, though.

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      1. The weather was beautiful. After we were done. The tank was perfect during the race. I was only cold before and after.

        Rain would have been worse.

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      2. ” but the cold did bother me on Sunday after I walked and started to run again. I felt like I NEVER warmed up during the race. I guess I need SUNSHINE!!!”

        That’s what you wrote. Didn’t sound like you were dressed right, then, from what you wrote, but that’s what you like. I actually do think I dressed correctly — except I should have had gloves on the first few miles! The bolero can mostly cover my hands, but I had it pushed back on the left so I could see my Garmin.

        We both survived.

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      3. by warmed up I meant that figuratively…my legs felt stiff and I assumed it was the cold. I definitely would wear the same thing if I ran it again. The arm warmers were great as were the gloves. I don’t think you can be comfortable before and after if it’s cold and also be comfortable running.

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  2. How cool this product is not sweetened! knock wood, i never had muscle cramps, except during pregnancy but that’s a whole different animal. That said, I’m a salty sweater. If it’s super hot, I’ll switch to SOS Rehydrate. and I’ll shoot a salt packet straight up. I also find a banana before and during a long run helps me a ton too.

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  6. I have never even thought about magnesium! I have only ever done salt tabs on a long/hot run and whatever Gatorade would be at aid stations. I have found part of my problem is being properly salted and hydrated BEFORE the run even starts. Not to be gross, but I go to the bathroom so many times before a race (nerves) that I am dehydrated before my run even starts and it is hard for me to catch up. 😦

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  7. I hope this does the trick for you Judy!!

    I am a NUUN girl, training in FL it has done what I’ve needed it to!! I haven’t noticed that it’s sweet, but it could be my choice of flavors. Who knows, after my surgery my system could change and I’ll be figuring out what will work!!

    Jodi

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    1. I’ve tried different flavors of Nuun; to me they’re sweet. Which is great after a run, not so much during the run.

      I forgot to say, too, that isn’t a fat head — it’s a beautiful head. Seriously, great photo of you & he’s super sweet to do that! I’d be dying!

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