Sports drink
A sports drink beverage is designed to help athletes rehydrate when fluids are depleted after training or competition. Electrolyte replacement promotes proper rehydration, which is important in delaying the onset of fatigue during exercise. As the primary fuel utilized by exercising muscle, carbohydrates are important in maintaining exercise and sport performance.[1][2]
Categories of sport drinks
Sports drinks can be split into three major types:[3]
- Isotonic sport drinks contain similar concentrations of salt and sugar as in the human body.
- Hypertonic sport drinks contain a higher concentration of salt and sugar than the human body.
- Hypotonic sport drinks contain a lower concentration of salt and sugar than the human body.
Most sports drinks are moderately isotonic, having between 4 and 5 heaped teaspoons of sugar per five ounce (13 and 19 grams per 250ml) serving. They never have a pH comparable to carbonated soft drinks.[citation needed]
Reducing risk of water intoxication
Water is the best beverage for simply rehydrating. However during exercise or just being outside on a hot day electrolytes are also lost. Consumption of excessive amounts of water can cause water intoxication, a potentially fatal imbalance of electrolytes in the body. Water intoxication is extremely rare. It might occur, for example, during intense exercise when heavy sweating removes water and electrolytes from the body, but only large quantities of water are consumed to replace what has been lost. The resulting low concentration of electrolytes adversely affects central nervous system function.
Many sports drinks reduce the risk of water intoxication by replenishing fluids and electrolytes in a ratio similar to that normally found in the human body. However, some sports drinks have low concentrations of electrolytes, so overconsumption of them could still lead to water intoxication.[4] People whose work or exercise puts them at high risk of developing heat illness or water intoxication should seek professional advice about proper rehydration of the body.
Examples of sports drinks
Examples of sports drinks include:
- 100plus
- 10-K Thirst Quencher
- Accelerade
- All Sport
- Aquarius
- Coconut Water
- Gatorade
- Isostar
- Lucozade Sport
- Pocari Sweat
- Powerade
- Staminade
- Mydrade
See also
- Dehydration
- Electrolyte
- Energy drink
- Energy gel
- Gainer (supplement)
- Hyperthermia
- Oral rehydration therapy
- Physical Exercise
References
- ^ Casa, D.J. (2000). "National Athletic Trainers' Association position statement: Fluid replacement for athletes". J. Athl. Train (35): 212–224.
- ^ Sawka, M.N. (2007). "American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement". Med. Sci. Sports Exerc (39): 377–390.
- ^ Sports energy drinks: pros and cons of drinking them
- ^ Gardner, J.W. (2002). "Death by Water Intoxication". Military Med (5): 432–434.
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