Water is a natural thirst quencher that is free of sugar and calories. Gatorade, a popular drink for thirst quenching, is not made from all-natural ingredients. Although it comes in a variety of fruit flavors, the bottles are clearly labeled to indicate that they actually contain no fruit juice. Gatorade has sugar and calories but may be a better choice than water under certain conditions and, of course, in moderation.
Before Exercise
The first of the three drinks in Gatorade's G Series is called "Prime." The bottle describes it as pre-game fuel. The main ingredients in Prime are B-Vitamins. Gatorade's website indicates that drinking Prime 15 minutes before activity will boost energy. This is because vitamin B3, B5 and B6 or niacin, pantothenic acid and pyridoxine respectively, convert food into glucose, which produces energy when burned, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
During Exercise
The second drink in Gatorade's G Series is called "Perform." It is advertised as increasing performance through increased hydration. It contains electrolytes, namely sodium and potassium. This drink is referred to as the "original Gatorade," which was produced over 40 years ago. It purportedly refuels your body with energy and replenishes lost electrolytes. In the June 1999 issue of "Journal of Applied Physiology," Drs. D.M. Vrijens and N.J. Rehrer found that replacing fluids lost via sweat during exercise with fluids containing sodium aids performance and reduces urine output, whereas water does not.
After Exercise
The final drink in Gatorade's G Series is called "Recovery." Recovery contains 8 grams of protein, as well as sodium, and is supposed to hydrate your body, help your muscles recover and quench your thirst after a workout. Protein is important for building muscles and repairing cartilage in your body. According to a study conducted by Dr. D.H. Passe and other researchers that was published in the June 2009 issue of "Appetite," the ingestion of beverages containing sodium reduced the percent of body mass lost after exercise.
Hyponatremia
Hyponatremia is a condition characterized by significantly low levels of sodium in your blood. One cause of hyponatremia is the over-consumption of water, generally during intense exercise. If you consume much more water than you expel through perspiration during a workout, you may be at risk for hyponatremia. This condition causes the level of water in your body to increase, which leads to the swelling of cells. However, sodium helps to regulate the amount of water in your body. Therefore, you may want to consider substituting Gatorade for water during endurance activities such as marathons and other strenuous types of exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic's website.
References
- Gatorade: G-Series
- PubMed.gov: Sodium-free fluid ingestion decreases plasma sodium during exercise in the heat
- PubMed.gov: Exercise condition affects hedonic responses to sodium in a sport drink
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- Mayo Clinic: Hyponatremia Definition
- Mayo Clinic: Hyponatremia Prevention
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