Sports drinks are beverages that were initially designed to give athletes an option for hydration when playing sports. Dr. J. Robert Cade of the University of Florida has been credited with inventing the sport drink. Sports drinks are designed to help to replenish electrolytes as well as other sugars that athletes usually lose when they sweat during either training or competition.
In the case of an athlete, sports drinks replaces the water that is lost through sweat as well as provide carbohydrates that supplement those that are being used up by the body during physical activity. Not only do sports drinks prove hydration and carbohydrates, but they supply the body with sodium and potassium that may have been lost during physical activity such as running or biking. These electrolytes are important because they help to promote fluid retention, prevent hyponatremia (low blood sodium)and muscle cramps, and may also promote increased taste.
What to Look for
The ideal sports drink should provide a consumer with an energy lift as well as hydration. The difference between sports drinks and other beverages such as soda is that they provide the hydration that is needed without the added sugar. The typical ingredients in sports drinks include: water, sugars in the form of carbohydrates, electrolytes and other things such as flavor and coloring.
When selecting a sports drink consumers should look for brands that contain between 4 to 8 percent carbohydrate concentration. To determine what the concentration is in your favorite drink, divide the number of grams of carbohydrate in an 8 ounce serving by 240 and then multiply by 100 to get the percentage.
The more concentrated a sport drink is, the better it will be at replenishing nutrients and providing hydration.
Common Pitfalls
Often times people have the misconception that sports drinks are the better option for hydration. Sports drinks don't hydrate better than water. When individuals drink sports drinks, they tend to drink larger volumes which in the end tends to lead to better hydration.
Sports drinks have electrolytes and sodium that are beneficial to professional athletes but have little value to the average person because we don't tend to expend the same amount of energy and calories that athletes do. Unless you are an athlete preparing for competition and losing electrolytes that you are not able to replace with food, then water is the better way to hydrate.
Other mistakes that consumers make when purchasing sports drinks is that they tend to get those energy drinks or sports drinks that do contain sugar or caffeine which results in an energy spike and then a CRASH. One downsides of consuming sports drinks on a regular basis is the calories that are obtained from the sugars can cause potential damage to the teeth along with the acids in the drinks.
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