Choosing the right "sports drink"

With the warm temperatures and humidity ready to peak, athletes are often left wondering which sports drink is the best fit for their sport type, time and intensity. 

First, let me clear up a few things about sports drinks:
1. Parents often are weary of sports drinks because of the sugar content. Keep in mind that sports drink provide 3 things to an athlete's working body: fluid, electrolytes and sugar. The sugar content is relatively low compared to other sweet drinks such as juice and soda. In fact, 1 cup of regular sports drink is an amount of sugar equivalent to 1 piece of fruit or 1 slice of bread. The sweetness of the sports drinks also encourages more fluid intake than plain water.

2. Dentists often speak poorly of sports drinks, citing research showing that sugary drinks increase cavities. Note that studies involved teeth that were continuously exposed/submersed in sports drink, which of course is not applicable to real life. The closest comparison would be the athlete who continuously sips sports drink throughout the course of the day. This is unnecessary. Sports drinks were are called such because they are meant to be drunk during sports...and that's it.


3. The electrolytes added to sports drinks serve two purposes: to help muscles contract and relax, preventing debilitating muscle cramping and to help the body better hold on to any fluid taken in.

4. Sports drinks are typically only necessary when activity is continuous for at least 60 minutes. Exceptions to this are high-intensity/interval-type workouts that last less than 60 minutes. In this type of workout, the body will run out of fuel more quickly. This means it is not as often that young children need sports drinks, though training in young children is becoming more intense and lengthy so use your judgment with your own child.

5. Commercial sports drinks are well-researched and formulated. So don't be afraid to use them!

When choosing a sports drink, consider the following:
A. Carbohydrate concentration: Choose a drink that has a 4-8% carbohydrate concentration. This has been shown to be the easiest to digest and tolerate for most athletes.  Higher sugar content (such as that found in soda, energy drinks or juices) can cause stomach upset, including diarrhea and cramping.

B. Sodium amount: Look for a product that provides around 100mg of sodium per cup. This is an average, as some athletes may require higher electrolyte content beverages due to higher sweat rates. However, for the average sweater, 100mg of sodium per cup is a good place to start. This is based on tolerance as well as the amount of sodium typically lost in sweat. Remember that the limiting electrolyte is sodium (not potassium). Comparatively little potassium is lost in sweat compared to sodium, so replacement does not have to be as high as with sodium.

C. Source of sugar: Look for a product that provides multiple sources of sugar or alternate between two different products with two different sugar sources. Studies show that the body will better absorb sugar from different sources than from only once source.

D. If dyes or colors are of concern, look for clear flavors of sports drinks. Another option is to create your own sports drink using 1/2 water, 1/2 100% fruit juice and 1 pinch of salt per 20-24 ounces fluid. While not scientifically exact, this is a great alternative for younger, less-competitive athletes. Remember, though, that a homemade sports drink will go bad much more quickly because its source of calories is real fruit juice.

Below is a table listing common fluid options. By looking through this table, it is easy to see which products would be good options as a sports drink and which might fall short. The key here is practicing with your product of choice before game/tournament/race day so you know what you tolerate and perform best using.

Beverage	Calories (per 8 fl. oz. serving)	Carbohydrate (g)	Carbohydrate Concentration	Sodium (mg)
Accelerade	80	16	6.6%	110
Vita Coco Coconut Water	45	11	4.6%	30
Cytomax	80	15	6.3%	70
Cytomax Sports Performance Drink	65	16	6.7%	86
Endura	60	15	6.3%	48
Enervit G Sport	60	14.6	6%	112
1st Endurance EFS	64	16	6.7%	166
Gatorade	50	14	5.8%	110
Gatorade Endurance	60	15	6.3%	200
GU20	50	13	5.4%	120
Hammer Head	50	13	5.4%	31
Ironman Perform	70	17	7.2%	190
Lucozade Sport	67	15	6.3%	Trace
Monster Energy Drink	100	27	11.3%	180
Pickle Juice	0	0	0	890
PowerBar Endurance	70	17	7.2%	160
Shaklee Performance	100	25	10.4%	130
Red Bull	113	28	11.7%	215
Ultra Fuel	200	50	21%	60
5-Hr Energy	4	0	0%	18

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate