-
Sports Drinks, what are they & what are they good for?
Sports drinks are scientifically formulated beverages, balanced with vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates for the purpose of hydrating and replenishing the user. Popular sports drinks, like the world's best-selling Gatorade, can be seen at every major supermarket worldwide.
Sports Drink or Water: True Water is the best fluid replacement however it too has some limitations. Sports drinks don't hydrate better than water, but you are more likely to drink larger volumes, which leads to better hydration. The typical sweet-tart taste combination doesn't quench thirst, so you will keep drinking a sports drink long after water has lost its appeal. An attractive array of colors and flavors are available. You can get a carbohydrate boost from sports drinks, in addition to electrolytes which may be lost from perspiration, but these drinks tend to offer lower calories than juice or soft drinks.
Some of the Benefits of Sport Drink:
- They give a boost to the endurance level.
- There are sports that cause heavy loss of fluids and it is there where these sports drink come to play a major role, in preventing your body from getting dehydrated.
- Aid in improving the performance level of an athlete, by acting as energy booster.
- It is recommended that you drink 4 to 8 ounces of water along with sports drinks because it assists in the replacement of glycogen better than using the drinks by themselves.
- These drinks speed up the recovery process after exercising and help you to perform better.
- They assist repairing any damage you may do to your muscles during exercise.
Types of Sport Drink:
Isotonic: This drink is the choice for most athletes - middle and long distance running or team sports. It quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating and supplies a boost of carbohydrate. It has 6% to 8% Carbohydrate. Some of the brands available in market, High Five, SiS Go, Boots Isotonic, Lucozade Sport.
Hypotonic: It quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating. Suitable for athletes who need fluid without the boost of carbohydrate e.g. jockeys and gymnasts.
Hypertonic: This drink is used to supplement daily carbohydrate intake normally after exercise to top up muscle glycogen stores. In ultra distance events, high levels of energy are required and Hypertonic drinks can be taken during exercise to meet the energy requirements. If used during exercise Hypertonic drinks need to be used in conjunction with Isotonic drinks to replace fluids.
What should you look while buying a sport drink?
- Sports drinks with higher percentages of the fast absorbing carbohydrates.
- Glucose, sucrose and glucose polymers (malto dextrins)
- 6-8 % carbohydrate in solution
- 14-20 grams of carbohydrate per 250 ml
- Approximately 100 mg sodium per 250 ml (8 ounces).
Best Sports Drink in the market:
Gatorade: this drink is the choice of most athletes for hot and cold training sessions. Lemon lime is the most popular flavor.
Cytomax: this drink contains complex carbohydrates and electrolytes. The orange flavor is the most popular flavour because it is not bitter.
Accelerade: This drink contains a 4 to 1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein. It helps to speed up the movement of the energy from the carbohydrates into the muscles. Actually, it contains an ideal combination of simple and complex carbohydrates to give rapid and sustained energy.Why not make your own sports Drink? Here is how
- 200ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 liter of water and a pinch of salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled. It works as Isotonic.
- 100ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 liter of water and a pinch of salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled. One of the best Hypotonic.
- 400ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 liter of water and a pinch of salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled. It works as Hypertonic.
According to research, exercisers who drink sports drinks during activity can work out longer and harder and are less likely to overeat following a workout. Sports Drinks are also a safe and effective way of recovering from a strenuous workout. So why not try one and feel the difference!
(Sources: hornetjuice.com, theontarion.ca, coach.ca, active.com, about.com, womenfitness.net, ezinearticles.com)
Sponsors
(
(
-
-
Sponsors
-
-
-
-
-
Useful Resources
