Why should I drink CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte Replacement DURING activity?

Consuming carbohydrates during activity enhances performance by providing a continuous supply of carbohydrate to working muscles. Your body stores a limited amount of carbohydrates, and the harder you go, the faster you burn those carbohydrates. When you burn through the last of these stored carbohydrates, you bonk. By consuming carbohydrate during activity you will increase your time to exhaustion (running out of carbohydrate).

When should I use Electrolyte and how much should I consume?

Electrolyte is meant to be used primarily DURING activity. The quantity consumed very much depends on the intensity and duration of activity as well as the external conditions such as wind and heat. For instance if you’re doing an easy 90 minute ride on flat roads in cool temperatures, one bottle may be plenty. But if you’re in the middle of a 5 hour ride in 85+ degree weather with lots of climbing, then we’d recommend drinking 16oz every 30 minutes. Ultimately it’s best for the athlete to experiment and find out how his/her total consumption corresponds with performance.

Does Electrolyte work?

In developing CLIF SHOT Electrolyte we used both our in-house resources as well as consulting with a noted San Francisco Bay Area sports nutritionist. We came into the project not being married to any specific theory as to what ingredients should be in a sports drink. After going through the most current independent and peer-reviewed research we recommended the nutritional profile that is now on our label. Every ingredient in Electrolyte has a specific purpose and is backed by current sports science. We did not add any ingredients just to look good on the label, nor did we add insignificant amounts of effective ingredients, that would allow us to make a label claim, but actually do nothing for you the athlete. The bottom line is that CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte works great and is backed by current sports science.

Does Electrolyte work when it warms up in summer weather?

CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte will provide the same level of hydration and nutrients no matter if it is cold or warm. We understand that drinks inevitably warm up in warm summer weather, so we road-tested our formulations making sure that they tasted great in both conditions.

What flavors of CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte are available?

Electrolyte is available in Cran-Razz™, Lemonade, and Crisp Apple with caffeine.

How is CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte different from other sports drinks on the market?

• Electrolyte meets all of the thresholds for current sports science, and does not include any ingredients of dubious efficacy or insignificant quantities of effective ingredients.

• Electrolyte tastes great and keeps you coming back for more. We designed Electrolyte with intentionally high levels of sodium and tartness, so that it would quench your thirst, and then subtly prime your thirst mechanism. That way you keep drinking and stay hydrated.

• Electrolyte is the only sports drink featuring organic ingredients. Electrolyte is certified organic by Quality Assurance International (QAI) and contains 92% Organic Ingredients and is sourced from 100% non-GMO sources. None of our competitors use any organic material in their products.

• CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte uses a high level of recyclable materials in its packaging.

What is the proportion of simple to complex carbohydrate in CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte?

Electrolyte is 50% simple and 50% complex carbohydrates.

Why did you choose a 50/50 ratio? Has any specific proportion of simple to complex carbohydrates been shown to be superior?

Studies have NOT shown that any one proportion of simple to complex carbohydrate in electrolyte sport drinks to be superior to another. We readily admit that from the standpoint of providing easily digestible carbohydrate to working muscles, most sports drinks in the marketplace do work. Most, including ours, provide fast-oxidizing carbohydrates that are quickly digested and turned into energy for working muscles. In developing our Electrolyte drinks we experimented with the simple to complex ratio, while maintaining the total carbohydrate, in search of the ideal taste and flavor concentration.

Is maltodextrin a better carbohydrate source than sucrose, dextrose, or maltose during activity?

There is no evidence suggesting that maltodextrin (AKA glucose polymers) has any performance advantages or disadvantages compared to other carbohydrate sources in drinks and gels (dextrose, brown rice syrup, glucose, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose). All of these carbohydrate sources oxidize (provide energy) at roughly the same rate.

Why is Brown Rice Syrup Solids the first ingredient in Electrolyte?

We choose organic brown rice syrup solids (maltose and glucose) not only because it is a quickly oxidized energy source, but also because it is part of our food philosophy to use ingredients that are sustainably grown and provide the highest level of naturally occurring nutrients. For example, brown rice syrup natural contains high levels of potassium and magnesium.

Why is CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte formulated to be an 8% carbohydrate solution?

CLIF SHOT Electrolyte drink is formulated for optimal rates of hydration and absorption of carbohydrate and electrolytes. A 6-8% carbohydrate solution has been shown consistently to be the best concentration for supplying glucose to muscles and for replacing lost fluids with the best digestive tolerance for most people. The American College of Sports Medicine and the American Dietetic Association recommend a 6-8% solution for continuous hydration and carbohydrate delivery during activity. Drinks less than 6% are not well absorbed by the gut and drinks greater than 8% can lead to digestive distress.

What about sports drinks that have greater than 8% carbohydrate solutions?

Higher concentrated sports drinks should serve as liquid food and not as the primary source of continuous carbohydrate and hydration. The athlete would have to consume a far greater than their stomach could handle to get adequate amounts of fluid from liquid meals (10-22% concentration).

Higher concentrated drinks do have their place with ultra-endurance athletes participating in high intensity endurance activities lasting the length of a work day or longer, such as Ironman triathlons, cycling tours, and adventure races. Athletes participating in ultra-endurance events need more calories than could be provided from an electrolyte drink alone. Trained athletes would benefit from practicing with higher concentrated drinks during training to build their digestive tolerance and then incorporate a few bottles into their race day nutrition plan for an extra calorie boost. Athletes need to balance these liquid meals with drinks and energy gels and discover a combination that will work with their individual digestive system.

Which carbohydrate sources result in better digestion and absorption?

This will vary highly with each individual and with intensity and type of activity. There are however some well accepted guidelines:
• The best determination of digestion and absorption of sports drink is the concentration of the drink. Choose a hydration system with a 6-8% carbohydrate solution to help replace the fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat.
• Avoid fructose as your primary carbohydrate. When consumed at high levels or as the single carbohydrate source, side effects such as bloating, cramping, and diarrhea are likely.
• Individuality cannot be ignored. Try different combinations and concentrations of performance products in training to help develop your own race day nutrition plan.

Can I adjust the concentration of Electrolyte away from the recommendation on the package?

Think of our recommendation as a starting point. The mixing chart on our label will yield an 8% carbohydrate solution, which has been shown to be best for a statistically significant sample of athletes. However despite this, everyone is not the same. Some will prefer a stronger blend of product and will function quite well on it, while others will need a more dilute solution to keep their stomachs happy. Again, Electrolyte is formulated to be an 8% solution, which is derived from a statistical average; it is not an absolute. As always, experiment with different concentrations to find out what works best for you.

Why aren’t there any vitamins in CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte drink?

The primary purpose of CLIF SHOT Electrolyte is to deliver what an athlete needs and can actually use during his/her training and racing: carbohydrate, fluid, and electrolytes. While vitamins such as A, C, and E are critical to daily well being, studies continually show that there is no performance benefit to consuming these vitamins during activity. Your body cannot assimilate enough vitamin A, C, or E during an event to make up for chronic deficiencies in your daily nutrition plan. The best way to prevent nutrient deficiencies is to eat well-balanced meals on a daily basis.

Why isn’t there any protein in CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte?

Well-designed studies have not been able to prove that consuming protein during activity has any performance benefits beyond consuming adequate carbohydrate. Furthermore, consuming protein during activity may actually hurt performance by displacing carbohydrate, slowing carbohydrate digestion, and causing digestive distress. Finally, sports drinks containing protein tend to “spoil” as they warm up providing off tastes and smells, which obviously do not promote further consumption.

Is there caffeine in any of the Electrolyte Drinks?

Only the Crisp Apple flavor has caffeine. In one 16oz serving of Electrolyte there is 50mg of caffeine.

Will caffeine enhance my performance?

Caffeine has been shown consistently to provide a boost to athletes either by stimulating the central nervous system, increasing adrenaline, or aiding in the use of body fat as fuel. Studies show that caffeine does not cause dehydration when consumed during activity due to less blood flow to the kidneys.

What effect will green tea have on my performance?

Phytonutrients, beneficial compounds found in plant foods, found in green tea have been shown to help in the mobilization of fat as fuel. This can help you tap into your stored body fat for fuel, sparing carbohydrate for later, giving you lasting energy, and improving your stamina.

Will ingesting Organic ingredients during activity help me perform better?

CLIF SHOT Electrolyte contains 92% organic ingredients and is certified organic by QAI. While Organic products have not been shown to help athletes perform better than products grown conventionally (with pesticides and herbicides), buying organic will undoubtedly contribute to better overall air and water quality which is of great value to endurance athletes. Who wants to ride or run in polluted air, or swim in a dirty lake?

Are there any artificial colors or flavors in Electrolyte?

Absolutely not. All of our flavors and colors are naturally derived.

What are natural flavors and natural coloring?

Both are proprietary blends of plant and/or herb extracts. They contain no animal products or MSG.

Is Electrolyte Kosher?

Yes, Electrolyte is certified Kosher by KSA.

Is Electrolyte Vegan?

Yes. None of the ingredients and processes used to make Electrolyte is animal-derived. Electrolyte contains no dairy products.

Is the CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte packaging recyclable?

Unlike most of our competitors most of the CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte packaging is recyclable. The paper label can be removed from the canister and recycled as mixed paper. The inks are soy-based. Most of our competitors use what’s called pressure-sensitive labels where the label is adhered with glue to the canister. It is virtually impossible to remove the label, which means that the canister will not be recycled curb-side. We chose to use a glue-dot application, which is ironically now out-dated technology. This however allows the label to be easily pulled off, which then allows the canister to be recycled. The canister itself can be recycled wherever #2 HDPE is accepted (most municipalities).

Currently the canister lid and scoop are not recyclable, but we will be working to make this a reality in the future. The ink on the lid sticker is soy-based.