In 1965, researchers at the University of Florida studied why heat diminished the performance levels of its football players. The team of doctors learned that exerting energy in hot climates caused the body to sweat harder and faster, leading to a greater loss in electrolytes, or metals in the body that transfer energy. The solution was an electrolyte beverage to replace this loss of metals and fluids which would become one of the most recognized sports brands in the world--Gatorade. Electrolyte sports drinks, like Gatorade and its competitors, promise improved performance and fluid and electrolyte replenishment.
Electrolyte Replacement
According to Brigham and Women's Hospital, sodium, potassium and chloride are metals that assist with synthesizing oxygen and transferring energy throughout the body. When the body exerts energy, its temperature increases from within and sweats to cool itself down. The result is the loss of fluids and these essential metals. According to Peak Performance, a British sports science website, electrolyte loss can speed dehydration, strain the cardiovascular system and allow body temperatures to increase. Peak Performance writes that drinking an electrolyte sports drink "not only delays fatigue but also helps maintain mental alertness and judgment."
Keeping Hydrated
When the body sweats, it not only loses electrolytes but water. Consuming water can replace the lost fluid, but not as quickly as it is released. Brigham and Women's Hospital writes that sweating the equivalent of 1-2 percent of body weight can reduce performance. "The Merck Manual Home Edition" reports that sodium levels can build in the bloodstream as the body exerts energy and loses water. The sodium saps the water from the blood and makes cardiac functions more labored. Electrolyte drinks can carry fluids directly to the bloodstream, rebuilding blood volume and replenishing fluids to healthy and safe levels.
Restoring Energy
The vast majority of electrolyte sports drinks contain some form of sugar. The body burns sugar for energy when muscles expand and contract. Brigham and Women's Hospital reports "glucose is the primary fuel for working muscles at high intensities." Peak Performance writes that the depletion of glucose is a factor in the fatigue of endurance athletes. It recommends finding a drink with a carbohydrate or sugar concentration of 4-8 percent.
Treating Diarrhea or Vomiting in Children
Children suffering from diarrhea or nausea lose water much more quickly than adults. As the stomach ailment perpetuates these symptoms and the body expels waste both orally and rectally, potassium and sodium levels decrease. This electrolytic imbalance can speed dehydration and cause greater harm to the child. Doctors will often direct parents to give the child a pediatric electrolyte beverage. A study presented at the 2005 Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology showed that pediatric electrolyte drinks are as effective as sports drinks in alleviating these symptoms and rehydrating the body. The small study of Indian children showed that using any type of electrolyte drink would improve stool frequency and consistency after just 48 hours.
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