為什麼電解質在運動時那麼重要 ?

前一陣子鬧得沸沸揚揚的的542 旅洪仲丘士官被虐死案，想必大家記憶猶新，洪員死亡的原因之一就是熱衰竭，也就是眾所周知的身體電解質不平衡案例。其實時間如果往前推一年，相信大家也許還記得，去年彰化的環化賽，有一名台大EMBA的選手，在終點前 2-3K 因不明原因發生摔車，致頭部撞擊路旁橋墩，導致死亡的案例，這個案例其實非常有可能是在大熱天下騎車，沒有補充足夠水份與電解質以及有可能血糖過低所導致的昏眩案例。

人體若缺乏電解質，許多生理機能都會停擺，人體水份與酸鹼質的平衡也會被破壞。其實所有的礦物質，都或多或少具有一些電解質的功能，但最重要的電解質，還是鈉﹑鉀﹑氯這些元素﹐其次是鎂﹑鈣等礦物質。這些電解質在溶於水後﹐會分解成一種叫離子的帶電物質。我們的心臟會跳﹐肌肉能產生力量﹐神經能將訊息傳到全身﹐都和這些離子導電的功能有關。它們是是體內通訊網路的一部份﹐協助「命令」的傳達。

鈉﹑鉀﹑氯更重要的功能﹐就是保持體內水份與酸鹼度的平衡。它們使體液有一定的滲透壓﹐以維持正常的水分含量。如果電解質不平衡﹐水份與酸鹼度也會失去平衡﹐最後維持生命的各種生理生化反應就一個一個發生問題。因此在大量的水份喪失時（如腹瀉與非常大量的出汗）﹐不但要補充水份﹐還要補充電解質﹐如果只大量補充水份而未補充電解質﹐就會產生無力﹑痙攣﹑嘔吐腹瀉等「衰竭」的症狀。

一個人即使在冬天攝氏10度，不流汗的情況下，也會發生900毫升的水蒸發掉，而大便又排出100至300毫升水分。正常排尿，小個子女性約1500毫升，大個子年輕男性 約2500毫升。假如在太陽底下工作8小時，不流汗也會隨著每1度溫度上升，需要補充300毫升的水。

從事體育活動的選手，在高強度的賽事中，排汗量又會高於一般人，所以在運動中補充水分與電解質就變成很重要的課題。目前路跑賽事中，主辦單位都會準備鹽錠或鹽來供應選手，其實是不夠的，因為只補充到鈉而已，而其他的電解質成分則完全沒有補到 ，所以不是很正確的方法。

目前市面上電解質的產品其實不少，一般比較廣為人知的就是寶礦力與舒跑兩個品牌的飲料。不過這是針對一般消費者所設計，並非針對運動大量流汗的選手，或是負重爬大山的山友所設計，因此在賽事中的補充其實不是很方便，運動員很難在賽事中拿一瓶含電解質飲料跑完全場。其他比較常見的也有沖泡式的粉劑，像寶礦力本身就有，售價也不貴，一包只要 10 塊錢台幣，也廣受山友的歡迎。

進口的產品中，也可看到不少的發泡錠劑型電解質產品，但電解質發泡錠一來使用時須要對水，在賽事中使用其實很不方便，二來價格昂貴，每錠折合台幣要高達 20-30 元，不是很理想的選項。更不用提發泡錠的通病，開封後接觸空氣後非常容易潮解的問題。

因此我們的電解質膠囊產品是市面最佳的運動中補充電解質用的產品。一來易於跑者，山友及運動員攜帶，二來一顆小小膠囊可以補充選手每小時流失的電解質，價格更是親民，一顆只要新台幣9 元，比寶礦力沖泡式還要便宜。

Nurex電解質膠囊 http://www.keepon.com.tw/showGoods.aspx?id=9090

運動達人補給系列 http://www.keepon.com.tw/ProductResult.aspx#/q:運動達人

圖文 by RacingPro 運動達人能量補給站 http://ppt.cc/dyiF

Why electrolyte so important during the race?

Not long ago, sergeant Hung Chung Chiu of Brigade 542 abused death case is still fresh in most people’smemory.  We are quite sure that Hung is one of the members of the causes of death heat exhaustion.  Also known as the body electrolyte imbalancecase. Actually if we push the time back to a year ago, I believe some may recall that last year one race called Changhua Cyclization Race.  There’s one NTU EMBA cyclist, who nearly approaching the end of the race only by 2-3K. Unfortunately who crashed for unknown reason which causing bump on the head to the roadside piers and passed away.  This case is actually very possible that cycling on a hot day without supplement of enough water and electrolytes plus low bloodsugar caused the death.

Human lack ofelectrolytes, many physiological functions will be shut down. The balance of bodywater and acid-base will also be destroyed.

In fact, all of the minerals are more or less with some electrolytes, but the most important electrolytes are sodium, potassium, chlorine these 3 elements, followed by magnesium, calcium and minerals. These electrolytes can be dissolved in water,broken down into charged species called ions. Our heart can beat, muscles can produce strength, the neural able to pass message spread over to the whole body.  They are a part of human communications network help to convey command to the organs ordered.

More important to the function of the sodium, potassium, chlorine, is to keep the body moistureand pH balanced. This will make a certain osmotic pressure to human body and able to maintain the normal moisture content. If the electrolyte is imbalanced, moisture and pH will lose its balance. In that sense, how to maintain a varietyof physiological and biochemical reactions of life will become a problem.Therefore, the loss of a lot of water (such as diarrhea and a very large amountof sweating), not only need to drink water but also need to supply the electrolyte.  Otherwise the byproducts will be weakness, cramps, vomiting and diarrhea, if only supply a large number of supplementary water without adding electrolytes, which will cause other symptoms such as the "body function failure".

A man, even in the winter with temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, no sweating still will occurs900 ml of water evaporated. Stool will discharge another 100-300 ml of water, Normalurine will again release diminutive female 1500 ml of water , while 2500ml for young big male.  Normally working eight hours in the sun also need to supplement with every 1 degree rise in temperature, 300ml of water to be supplied.  For those who engaged in sports activities, players in events of high intensity, theamount of sweat will be higher than the average person. So it becomes a very important issue to add water and electrolytes during hard training or exercises.  Currently for marathon event, most organizers will supply the salt tablets or salt to runners.  In fact, this is not enough, because it only give the sodium that runner can get but as for other electrolytes ingredients are completely nil.  Therefore, it is not the right approach.

Electrolytes isvery popular products these days and easy to buy.  Most well known is Pocari and Shupao two beveragebrands.  But it is designed for theaverage consumer, not for those sports players who sweating a lot or those whocarry heavy weight mountain climbers. Therefore, they are not designed for the purpose of act as a supplementin the race and is not very convenient. Athlete is difficult to finish the racewith a bottle of electrolyte-containing beverages.  We can also see they are other more electrolytesproducts such as powder type is also available. For instance like Pocari, the price is actually not expensive only NT$10per pack which very popular and welcomed by mountain climbers.   Importedproducts, we can also see a lot of foaming tablet formulations electrolyteproducts. But an electrolyte effervescent tablets needs to mix with water, infact, not suitable during the race.  Secondly,the price is expensive, each tablet equivalent to up to NT $ 20-30, not anideal options. Effervescent tablets, also got common problem that is afteropening the container when product contact air is very easy to get deliquescentissue.

So our electrolytein capsule are considered the best sports electrolyte supplement in the market.For 2 reasons, one ours is very easy for runner and athletes to carry.   Second,only one small capsule can deliver electrolytes to players while no need todrink say up to 600cc of electrolyte contained beverage which make player veryuncomfortable during the race.   The price of our electrolyte in capsule is sofar the cheapest you can find in the market as well.  Only NT$9 per capsule is cheaper than Pocari’sNT$10 per pack.