# Mio in hydration pack water?



## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Has anyone added Mio to the water in thier hydration pack. I put Gatorade in once and it stained the bladder, I think I did leave it in over night though. I ended up throwing the bladder away, because it looked so bad. Will Mio do the same?


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*No, and why?*

So you threw a bladder away because it looked bad? On the inside of a back pack?

To each their own. I don't advise putting anything other than water in a bladder. Adding other stuff invites additional bacteria growth and results in having to take extra steps to keep your bladder clean.

Any supplemental drinks are carried in water bottles.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Not just because it looked bad, but also because, I didn't know if it would be safe and it was hard to tell if anything was growing inside. Plus it was an old bladder. I'm not worried about having to clean the bladder when I get done with a ride.


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## Ken in KC (Jan 12, 2004)

*Got it...*



Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Not just because it looked bad, but also because, I didn't know if it would be safe and it was hard to tell if anything was growing inside. Plus it was an old bladder. I'm not worried about having to clean the bladder when I get done with a ride.


Makes sense. Sorry I wasn't more helpful. Here's my (extremely) ignorant best guess: Because bladders are pliable and the plastic is soft, anything that contains a strong dye would likely stain it.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Mio doesn't do anything but add flavor. What is the point of using it on a ride?


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## Bailey44 (Dec 30, 2010)

I use Cytomax in my pack on every ride. Just clean it well every time and it is fine. The orange flavor will stain it, lemon-lime and tropical fruit doesn't...go figure...


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

Stains don't really matter except for looks. As for anything growing in your bladder, just use their cleaning tablets, denture tablets, or highly diluted bleach then rinse well. That will kill anything that had potentially been growing. 

I've been using the same bladder for over three years now. I've mixed in Cytomax and other stuff and I've left it out overnight accidentally and let it get pretty gross before, but with a good cleaning it's always back to tasting fresh and clean. Mine has picked up a sickly green tint over time from some of the mixes but I know it's just a stain and not anything dangerous


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> Mio doesn't do anything but add flavor. What is the point of using it on a ride?


Because it adds flavor.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Because it adds flavor.


is there something wrong with plain water?


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## Ronnie (Jan 17, 2004)

I always put a bottle of Gatorade into my Camelbak bladder and add water. Rinse it out with hot tap water after and hang up to dry. Never had a problem or any residue. Once or twice a season I'll wash it out with dish wash soap.

People make to much of a big deal about hydration bladders. You put food on your plates, cook in your pots, wash them and let them dry. It's no big deal.


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## tl1 (Dec 21, 2003)

*What's Mio?*



Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Has anyone added Mio to the water in thier hydration pack. I put Gatorade in once and it stained the bladder, I think I did leave it in over night though. I ended up throwing the bladder away, because it looked so bad. Will Mio do the same?


And why should anyone put it in their water?


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> is there something wrong with plain water?


No flavor.


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## Mojo Troll (Jun 3, 2004)

*water only*

I only put water in a bladder. Additives invite bacteria. My muscles want hydrated. They dont care about waters plain flavor.

Water bottles are usually free or cheap. Place additives in these. That way if you forget to wash them. You can simply toss the foul, nasty looking water bottle.


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## Ronnie (Jan 17, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> is there something wrong with plain water?


Actually yes, especially in very hot climates like the weather we've had this summer. When you sweat it is not just water your body is loosing but electrolytes. Imbalanced electrolytes can be dangerous. However, I agree with you just adding flavor to water has no point.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

Ronnie said:


> However, I agree with you just adding flavor to water has no point.


It can sound strange to some of us water lovers, but some people just don't like the taste of water very much. If adding a little flavor helps them be healthy and stay hydrated then more power to them.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Ronnie said:


> Actually yes, especially in very hot climates like the weather we've had this summer. When you sweat it is not just water your body is loosing but electrolytes. Imbalanced electrolytes can be dangerous. However, I agree with you just adding flavor to water has no point.


but this thread isn't about electrolytes. It's about Mio.



> It can sound strange to some of us water lovers, but some people just don't like the taste of water very much. If adding a little flavor helps them be healthy and stay hydrated then more power to them.


Have never met anyone like that. What I have met are plenty of people addicted to flavored, sugary beverages. They down Diet Coke like it's necessary for life or something. Put. Down. The. Sugar. (and that goes for artificial sweeteners and dyes, too)


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## wickedone31 (Jul 18, 2010)

I use the Camelbak Electrolyte tabs sometimes on longer rides, and they've never stained my bladder.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

NateHawk said:


> but this thread isn't about electrolytes. It's about Mio.
> 
> Have never met anyone like that. What I have met are plenty of people addicted to flavored, sugary beverages. They down Diet Coke like it's necessary for life or something. Put. Down. The. Sugar. (and that goes for artificial sweeteners and dyes, too)


My coworker who I share an office with really doesn't like the taste of water. I had a friend in college who would nearly gag if she drank plain water, though I think that was due to a near drowning experience IIRC

Even if it's just plain pickiness, if it helps the OP stay hydrated then that's probably much better for his health than avoiding dyes but risking under-hydration


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> but this thread isn't about electrolytes. It's about Mio.
> 
> Have never met anyone like that. What I have met are plenty of people addicted to flavored, sugary beverages. They down Diet Coke like it's necessary for life or something. Put. Down. The. Sugar. (and that goes for artificial sweeteners and dyes, too)


This thread isn't about flavored, sugary beverages. It's about Mio.


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## AndyN (Jan 12, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> Have never met anyone like that.


They must not exist then.


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## deadatbirth (Jul 23, 2007)

you should look at the ingredient list before you drink that stuff. it makes me sick whenever ive tried it


> Water, Citric Acid, *Propylene Glycol*, Malic Acid, Contains Less than 2% of Natural Flavor, *Sucralose and Acesulfame Potassium* (Sweeteners), Potassium Citrate, Red 40, Blue 1, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative).


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

deadatbirth said:


> you should look at the ingredient list before you drink that stuff. it makes me sick whenever ive tried it


Same stuff that's in a lot of processed foods.


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## deadatbirth (Jul 23, 2007)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Same stuff that's in a lot of processed foods.


and anti-freeze :thumbsup:


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## AZ (Apr 14, 2009)

MMMMMM, glycol..


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> This thread isn't about flavored, sugary beverages. It's about Mio.


which turns your water into a flavored, artificially sweetened beverage.


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## Tim-H (Mar 20, 2010)

deadatbirth said:


> and anti-freeze :thumbsup:


It does have anit-freezing properties but the similar sounding chemical in car antifreeze is ethylene glycol. Propylene is used in a lot of foods and drugs. It's no toxic. Not saying it's healthy but it's pretty misleading to call it anti-freeze.

I use gatorade in my pack because it keeps my blood sugar level on rides(type 1 diabetes.) Just empty the bladder and throw it in the freezer. Never have a problem with stuff growing inside. It does stain it and leave some flavor but as long as you always use it you can't tell. Not a big deal to me. I assume you can do the same with mio or any other additive.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

deadatbirth said:


> and anti-freeze :thumbsup:


...and? That particular use doesn't say anything about it's health effects. I decided to _research_ before agreeing or disagreeing and found that it is considered completely safe and without any health effects. Of course it is toxic if you ingest a whole lot of it at once, but so are many common natural chemicals including many that are vital to your body.

Going slightly off topic: I remember reading a very interesting article a couple years ago about the flavor additive industry. A _lot_ of science goes into the development of artificial flavors, to the point that many of these "artificial" flavors are the same exact chemicals as in their natural source except produced through cleaner processes in a lab and with an end result that is purer. "Natural" flavors have to be extracted and purified and the end result isn't always as good or as consistent, but it does sell for more money because it can be called "natural". Just food for thought. The effects of artificial sweeteners seem to be much more hotly contested but (putting on my conspiracy theorist hat) one could easily assume that is because of how much money around the world is invested in sugar production. I wonder how negative people would still be towards artificially sweetened drinks if they could be convinced there was an artificial sweetener that wasn't bad for you


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Tim-H said:


> It does have anit-freezing properties but the similar sounding chemical in car antifreeze is ethylene glycol. Propylene is used in a lot of foods and drugs. It's no toxic. Not saying it's healthy but it's pretty misleading to call it anti-freeze.
> 
> I use gatorade in my pack because it keeps my blood sugar level on rides(type 1 diabetes.) Just empty the bladder and throw it in the freezer. Never have a problem with stuff growing inside. It does stain it and leave some flavor but as long as you always use it you can't tell. Not a big deal to me. I assume you can do the same with mio or any other additive.


propylene glycol IS sold as antifreeze.



This is the stuff I used in my tire sealant because it's propylene glycol. It IS less toxic than ethylene glycol, but it is also antifreeze just the same.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> which turns your water into a flavored, artificially sweetened beverage.


Which is different then a flavored, sugary beverage.


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## AndyN (Jan 12, 2004)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Which is different then a flavored, sugary beverage.


Stop making sense.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

AndyN said:


> Stop making sense.


Lol!


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Which is different then a flavored, sugary beverage.





> (and that goes for artificial sweeteners...)


I shouldn't have to quote myself, but maybe some elaboration on that comment is necessary. Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3


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## AndyN (Jan 12, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> I shouldn't have to quote myself, but maybe some elaboration on that comment is necessary. Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3


Overweight peeps justify overeating (fast food) by substituting a diet drink over the sugary standard, and still gain weight by eating even more fast food. Fascinating.

Calories in vs. Calories burned. Pretty simple.


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## Tim-H (Mar 20, 2010)

Nate, that picture on the bottle makes me want to have a son... and a dog. Did it have the same effect on you?


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

NateHawk said:


> I shouldn't have to quote myself, but maybe some elaboration on that comment is necessary. Reference 1, Reference 2, Reference 3


It wasn't necessary.


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## deadatbirth (Jul 23, 2007)

boomn said:


> ...and? That particular use doesn't say anything about it's health effects. I decided to _research_ before agreeing or disagreeing and found that it is considered completely safe and without any health effects. Of course it is toxic if you ingest a whole lot of it at once, but so are many common natural chemicals including many that are vital to your body.


if you did your "research" then you would have seen the ingredients that i highlighted are not considered safe by many.
drink it if you want. it makes me and others sick when we drink it....not what id want in a camelbak


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## SgtBaxter (Jul 2, 2011)

NateHawk said:


> Have never met anyone like that. What I have met are plenty of people addicted to flavored, sugary beverages. They down Diet Coke like it's necessary for life or something. Put. Down. The. Sugar. (and that goes for artificial sweeteners and dyes, too)


Yeah, we must not exist then, huh? Personally I think water tastes like ass.

I normally drink Propel or Fruit2O, both of which are plenty beneficial to have in a hydration bladder, and neither are sugary tasting drinks.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

deadatbirth said:


> if you did your "research" then you would have seen the ingredients that i highlighted are not considered safe by many.
> drink it if you want. it makes me and others sick when we drink it....not what id want in a camelbak


Yep, and in my research I also learned that some people are simply allergic to propylene glycol. For the rest of us it is considered safe by the scientific community. If you start including allergies as making things not safe then things like peanuts should be banned for their potential to kill people in seconds or minutes.

I already agreed that the health effects of artificial sweeteners can be very controversial.


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## jacklikesbeans (Feb 18, 2011)

I personally wouldn't put mio in a bladder because I'm lazy and suck at cleaning them out but wouldn't hesitate if I was disciplined enough to clean right after. 

It seems some in this thread want to argue just for the sake of arguing. It was a simple question and didn't seem like the OP should be judged for liking flavored water...


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Tim-H said:


> Nate, that picture on the bottle makes me want to have a son... and a dog. Did it have the same effect on you?


Yes. And a 90's Ford Explorer, the pinnacle of "safer" vehicles.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

Tim-H said:


> Nate, that picture on the bottle makes me want to have a son... and a dog. Did it have the same effect on you?


I'd rather have a son that doesn't look like Geena Davis, but I guess beggars can't be choosers


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

jacklikesbeans said:


> I personally wouldn't put mio in a bladder because I'm lazy and suck at cleaning them out but wouldn't hesitate if I was disciplined enough to clean right after.
> 
> It seems some in this thread want to argue just for the sake of arguing. It was a simple question and didn't seem like the OP should be judged for liking flavored water...


Thank you. There seems to be a lot of that going on around here. I really just wanted to know if anyone has had their hydration bladder stained by Mio. Nothing more, nothing less.


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## OmaHaq (Jun 1, 2010)

Just don't do it. Cowboy up and drink water plain. Mio is a waste of money.


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## boomn (Jul 6, 2007)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Thank you. There seems to be a lot of that going on around here. I really just wanted to know if anyone has had their hydration bladder stained by Mio. Nothing more, nothing less.


Nope, but Mio did kick my dog


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## square (Jun 5, 2010)

i dump a pack or two of kool-aid in my bladder before every ride. dee-lish-uss!


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## kwrides (Oct 12, 2010)

Thanks, I love funny threads!


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

boomn said:


> Nope, but Mio did kick my dog


Don't feel bad, my cat could kick your dog.


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

Tim-H said:


> ...
> 
> I use gatorade in my pack because it keeps my blood sugar level on rides(type 1 diabetes.) ...


Have you considered HEED from Hammer Nutrition? The use of Stevia helps to fuel my type 1 diabetes excursions.


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## LWright (Jan 29, 2006)

boomn said:


> ... I wonder how negative people would still be towards artificially sweetened drinks if they could be convinced there was an artificial sweetener that wasn't bad for you


Stevia, it good chit


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## MrCleanY0 (Sep 29, 2008)

jacklikesbeans said:


> I personally wouldn't put mio in a bladder because I'm lazy and suck at cleaning them out but wouldn't hesitate if I was disciplined enough to clean right after.


I'm right there with you!


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Has anyone added Mio to the water in thier hydration pack. I put Gatorade in once and it stained the bladder, I think I did leave it in over night though. I ended up throwing the bladder away, because it looked so bad. Will Mio do the same?


Haven't read the thread yet, but I drink MiO daily. 
Love it. It's hard for me to drink water much (except Dasani). 
Now, I drink about a gallon a day thanks to MiO. 
(holy crap...that sounded so shillish! :lol: I feel like I should post a picture 
with me holding a bottle of it and smiling directly into the camera)

Being that it's sugar free, it shouldn't have any adverse affect on your bladder. 
I use Powerade or Gatorade regularly in my Camelbak and never had any problems with it. 
I leave it in for days at a time. Just takes a good thorough cleaning and it's good as new. 
Very hot (but not boiled) water with dishwashing liquid to start. If it's still funky, bleach. 
If that doesn't work, the Camelbak Cleaning Tablets will get 'er done.

But, I generally leave it in the fridge when it's full or partly full.

But again, MiO is a frickin lifesaver for me. I get free bottled water at my job. 
I used to buy sports drinks. Granted, I might not get the benefits of the sports drinks vitamins, 
but I'm not getting all their additives either.


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

Okay HALFWAY through the thread: 

1. Anti-Freeze today is also Coolant! + for MiO in hot and cold weather! :lol:

2. Some people just cannot tolerate plain water. If I drink too much of it, I get nauseous. A little flavoring (whether MiO or Lemon or something) goes a long way in allowing me to drastically increase my water intake which I've been very poor in doing). 

3. Why "not" have flavored water? It's not taking food out of anybody's kid's mouths! 

(I knew this thread would deliver! And now, back to the action!)


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

NateHawk said:


> propylene glycol IS sold as antifreeze.
> 
> 
> 
> This is the stuff I used in my tire sealant because it's propylene glycol. It IS less toxic than ethylene glycol, but it is also antifreeze just the same.


Stop! You're making me thirsty! :lol:


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

It's not to difficult to rinse it out and throw it in the freezer.


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

jacklikesbeans said:


> I personally wouldn't put mio in a bladder because I'm lazy and suck at cleaning them out but wouldn't hesitate if I was disciplined enough to clean right after.
> 
> It seems some in this thread want to argue just for the sake of arguing. It was a simple question and didn't seem like the OP should be judged for liking flavored water...


FYI...I use MiO in my Nalgene bottle daily at work. It rinses completely clean. 
Again, it's the sugar that causes drinks to stick to container.


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

boomn said:


> I'd rather have a son that doesn't look like Geena Davis, but I guess beggars can't be choosers


*LMFAO!.........................................*


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

2ndgen said:


> Haven't read the thread yet, but I drink MiO daily.
> Love it. It's hard for me to drink water much (except Dasani).
> Now, I drink about a gallon a day.


A gallon a day? One of my best friends was doing that. He had an electrolyte balance problem and and a seizure. He died for a minute and came back. He is 100% ok now. He's still a pain in the ass though, figuratively that is.


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

2ndgen said:


> FYI...I use MiO in my Nalgene bottle daily at work. It rinses completely clean.
> Again, it's the sugar that causes drinks to stick to container.


It only took 55 posts before I got some kind of answer. Thanks for sharing!


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> A gallon a day? One of my best friends was doing that. He had an electrolyte balance problem and and a seizure. He died for a minute and came back. He is 100% ok now. He's still a pain in the ass though, figuratively that is.


That's nothing. By trade, I'm a Roofer. If the rule is 1 liter per hour of strenuous excercise and
we work hard for 7 hours, do the math? It goes in and gets sweated right back out on hot days.

If one has an active lifestyle, their body has higher needs than the normal desk jockey. 
Right now, I climb about 500 steps on a daily basis. Not cycling as much as I'd like to,
but when I do, it's not as hard to jump right back into it as it used to be when I didn't 
work as hard.

Edit: 1,000 steps daily and carrying a 20lb pack


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## 2ndgen (Jun 6, 2008)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> It only took 55 posts before I got some kind of answer. Thanks for sharing!


:thumbsup:


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

2ndgen said:


> That's nothing. By trade, I'm a Roofer. If the rule is 1 liter per hour of strenuous excercise and
> we work hard for 7 hours, do the math? It goes in and gets sweated right back out on hot days.
> 
> If one has an active lifestyle, their body has higher needs than the normal desk jockey.
> ...


In that case, chug away!


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## Andy Pancroft (Aug 3, 2011)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Same stuff that's in a lot of processed foods.


Which is why we don't eat processed foods!!!


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## Andy Pancroft (Aug 3, 2011)

I take in approximately two + gallons of water per day. If I was needing some flavor, guess I would lean toward a squeeze lemon or something along those lines!!


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## Mountain Cycle Shawn (Jan 19, 2004)

Andy Pancroft said:


> Which is why we don't eat processed foods!!!


Every store is busting at the seams with it. Someone is eating it, and a lot of it.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Mountain Cycle Shawn said:


> Every store is busting at the seams with it. Someone is eating it, and a lot of it.


The people that do eat a lot of it certainly are not the healthy ones.


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## carspidey (Aug 1, 2011)

I do put gatorade in my bladder... the powdered one... it does stain my bladder but i don't care... the night before i'll ride i'll just rinse it with clean water and then spray in some bleach and leave for a few hours... in 4 hours everything that might have grown in there will be dead...

I've seen this issue (putting anything else than water in camelbacks) come up a few times... they look so fragile to some people but they are not...

i personally use this instead:

Amazon.com: Platypus Hoser Hydration System 2 Liters: Sports & Outdoors

i put whatever i want in there and use it everywhere... it works great...


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