Manufacturers of sports drinks such as Gatorade promote their products as the best thing to drink during or after exercise. But before the invention of sports drinks, water, H2O, was the beverage of choice for those needing hydration. There are many reasons why water can be more beneficial than Gatorade as well as some advantages Gatorade has over water.
Hydration
Hydration is the process of replacing water in the body. Water is lost as people burn calories through general daily activity and excrete bodily wastes that are constantly created. The primary modes of water loss are through urination and sweat. When too much water is lost, dehydration occurs, and tissues of the body suffer. This is more likely to occur on hot days or when an individual is participating in strenuous athletic activity. Hydration from some source is necessary to avoid dehydration.
Electrolytes
The theory behind using sports drinks such as Gatorade instead of water lies in the idea that when people exercise, they are sweating out not only water but also electrolytes. Electrolytes are minerals that the body needs in order to keep functioning. These include sodium and potassium. These minerals are maintained in specific balances in the body, and losing too many of them can upset the balance within cells and cause weakness, tiredness, dizziness, mental confusion, muscle cramps and even death. Electrolytes can also help raise the rate at which the body uptakes fluid, helping you rehydrate more quickly.
Carbohydrates
Another thing that Gatorade contains that is absent from H2O is a high level of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are used as fuel by the muscles. Keeping muscles well supplied with carbohydrates is especially important during vigorous activity.
Calories
Because Gatorade's carbohydrates are in the form of sugars, it also tends to be high in calories. Water has zero calories in comparison. During exercise, some of these calories may be burned off, but during mild or moderate activity, they are likely to head straight to your waistline instead. In fact, drinking eight to ten glasses of Gatorade a day adds 448-672 calories to your diet.
Flavor
Since water is flavorless, there is little to make people want to drink it unless already thirsty. Gatorade, on the other hand, comes in a wide range of flavors, making it more appealing to many people. According to Santa Barbara Fitness magazine, people are more likely to stay hydrated when drinking a flavored sports drink such as Gatorade than when drinking water alone since they will drink more of the flavored beverage simply because of the taste.
Activity Levels
The critical factor that seems to determine whether Gatorade or H2O is the best choice for keeping hydrated is the level of activity of the individual. Gatorade is best for athletes or people who are undertaking a particularly strenuous activity over a long period of time. This would be defined as hard activity over the course of an hour or over the course of half an hour in high heat conditions. For casual exercisers, Gatorade isn't necessary and can even harm health by contributing too many calories to the diet. Water should be the beverage of choice for these people, and should be the basic daily beverage even of high-level athletes when they are not in training.
Member Comments