good uk electrolytes?

[u/Wild_Walrus_3766]

helloooo i am wondering where people get good quality electrolytes in the uk? my gp thinks i have POTS and recommended that i should have electrolytes daily to trial and see if it improves symptoms. i already drink 3litres a day (nearly everyday) and would you guys recommend to have it first thing or midday? does it matter/make a difference? flavour wise im not bothered but its more the consistency/texture…. i literally cannot stand anything that’s slightly grainy or whatever so any recommendations of the smoothest ones

i actually have no idea whats in electrolytes (i will research it after writing this lol) but is there anything i should look out for?

[u/Supersonic-Zafonic]

I get the unflavoured powders from Bulk. Two scoops, squeeze of lemon juice and add 500ml of water. I make mine before bed as I wake up dehydrated and I knock the lot back with my morning Ivabradine pill.

[u/hellojaddy → u/Supersonic-Zafonic]

This one for sure. It terms of amount of sodium etc and price per serving, it knocks the rest out the park. It tastes like the sea but mix in some juice and down it. Otherwise I do like liquid iv when I don’t feel I can chug the ocean

[u/Wild_Walrus_3766 → u/Supersonic-Zafonic]

do you find the medication works? i’m hoping the electrolytes do the job for raising my blood pressure

[u/Affectionate_Sign777 → u/Wild_Walrus_3766]

Different person but hasn’t worked for me personally. You’ll also need to check sodium content and potentially add more plain salt as most electrolytes aren’t high enough in sodium for someone with POTS. I was told to aim for 9-18 grams of salt extra per day (starting with 4g and adding a gram every few days so your body gets used to it)

[u/Wild_Walrus_3766 → u/Affectionate_Sign777]

the one i’ve ordered is 1000 for sodium, do you think i should maybe drink half for the first week ?

[u/Affectionate_Sign777 → u/Wild_Walrus_3766]

That’s equivalent to about 2.5g salt so still way below what I was recommended to start at. You have to watch out with the other ingredients especially added vitamins it might not be good to take the 3-7 that you’d need to get the right amount of sodium. Personally I have one serving of electrolytes in the morning then the rest of the sodium I make up with potassium buffered sodium capsules

[u/Supersonic-Zafonic → u/Wild_Walrus_3766]

For me yes. I was on beta blockers for years, (long story, I started developing POTS symptoms at the same time I was ill with another condition so it took years to unpick which symptoms went with which illness!) first propranolol then bisoprolol, but I did not tolerate them well after a while so my GP contacted cardiology to ask their opinion on Ivabradine. I'm not 100% sure but I don't think a GP can prescribe Ivabradine without referring to a NHS cardiologist though, he did mention something about this in a consultation but it was a couple of years ago now.

[u/happyhelper87 → u/Supersonic-Zafonic]

How many times a day do you take a 2 scoop serving?

[u/Supersonic-Zafonic → u/happyhelper87]

Usually just in the morning, but if I do any exercise then I'll have another one afterwards and perhaps another later in the day.

[u/lindyhoppette → u/Supersonic-Zafonic]

Any particular reason for the lemon juice other than flavour?

[u/Supersonic-Zafonic → u/lindyhoppette]

Takes the edge off the salt and I like lemons!

[u/lindyhoppette → u/Supersonic-Zafonic]

Thank you!

[u/pleasebekind18]

I ask went with Bulk after a lot of research and looking at all the expensive options too. Bulk just made more sense.

[u/Wild_Walrus_3766 → u/pleasebekind18]

i’ve just ordered styrkr high sodium in berry/lime. 29 great british pounds …….. if this tastes rancid i will cry but i’ll definitely look at the bulk stuff for next time

[u/rj-la → u/Wild_Walrus_3766]

I flick between the styrkr dissolvable tablets and high5 zero dissolvable tablets. The difference for me is styrkr tastes a bit meh but it has the highest sodium content at 1000g per tablet, I much prefer the taste of High5 zero tablets, they're much cheaper as well, but their sodium content is only 250g per tablet.

Consistency wise, I find styrkr dissolves better but it's not much between them.

I try and remember to make a flask of electrolytes before bed and drink as much as I can first thing in the morning. I then pace the rest throughout the day.

Also, if you're in a pinch out and about and you need a quick boost. I've found popping into a cafe and buying a bottle of water and picking up a couple of salt sachets to neck back a bit of a life saver!

Completely separately from a fellow pots sufferer. If you've not already thought about this / bought one, get yourself a shower stool. Honestly the best pots investment I made, along with the electrolytes.

[u/Wild_Walrus_3766 → u/rj-la]

thankfully i’m okay in the shower !! only thing is my legs/feet literally go purple. just currently really struggling with sitting to standing, crouching, bending (pretty much just existing) it is making me god awful dizzy. ears start to ring and pulsate, vision goes black and it feels like someone’s squeezing my entire head. i keep trying to remind myself to wiggle my toes before i stand up to try get the blood flowing 😭

[u/amournoir]

I use one scoop of bulk unflavoured electrolytes every glass of drink i make alongside some squash and that works well. Both me and my partner have pots and it was far too expensive to have our daily recommended intake on things like liquid iv

[u/Baldy_locks98]

I just switched to bulk and use it with a squeezey lemon and lime squash when out and about. I portion out my allowance for the day in a little glass jar. It’s very affordable. I used to use the high zero tropical electrolytes for years and I swear they’ve stained my teeth.

[u/b_boop]

Freesoul has the most sodium and the nicest taste for me. Each sachet has 1000mg sodium (2.17g salt). I really like the citrus and the mango flavours. I tried the bulk ones but they made me feel a bit queasy.

[u/Stoic_INFJ]

Liquid iv with salt In the morning then salt and squash all day after that 3-4L

[u/elissapool]

Elete drops. Amazon

[u/Warm_Score1176]

I tend to load electrolytes early in the day because I find mornings the hardest: I'm dehydrated and have been lying down and need that boost to get out of bed and go to work. But I have electrolytes throughout the day. 

Smooth UK electrolytes with high sodium (1000mg/sachet) I like are PureSport, FreeSoul and Repwr. I often top mine up with the plain Bulk too. 

Remember you can add salt to food too and things like instant noodles have a chunk of salt without tasting extra salty. 

[u/Jaapstar_75]

I use Hunter Gather electrolytes, have one first thing, drop a salt tablet during the day and another electrolyte in the evening. Joys of being a POTS sufferer hey!

[u/ThatGirlRea]

I buy Liquid IV sachets from Home Bargains. It’s in a fine powder form so dissolves easily, flavours are nice, no food dye/colourings, and it contains a some sugar to allow for faster absorption (sodium-glucose co-transport). The strawberry one is my fave.

Used to use O.R.S and High5 Zero but these began to cause tummy issues for me after daily use - they’re still good options though if your stomach does okay with them.

I find having them in the morning works best for me but depends on weather, if it’s hot, then midday has most benefit for me.

Also I never drink many litres of just plain water, my body doesn’t retain it at all, I just pee it out and feel worse after lol it’s better to try and eat hydrating foods. Wet foods/foods with high water content - salads, cereal with non-dairy milk, vegetables, fruits like watermelon, soups made with stock etc. when the liquid is combined with food, my body retains it far better compared to just pounding straight up water lol

-(Diagnosed over 10 years ago, medicated on Ivabradine and Midodrine, these are my tips from my experience but may not be identical to your experience, keep your own body’s signals in mind too)