Do I Need a Sports Drink?
Sports drinks are widely used among athletes, yet at the same time they are under some scrutiny. Do we really need to be drinking sugars? Why not simply hydrate with water?
Gatorade, Powerade and other popular sports drinks have responded to this concern among consumers by providing zero calorie (and therefore zero sugar) products, emphasizing the importance of electrolytes for rehydration.
However, carbohydrate-containing sports drinks arguably still have a place in an active person’s diet, and knowing how and when to incorporate them can be a game changer for an athlete’s performance.
As previously discussed, active individuals have a storage form of carbohydrates in their muscles called glycogen. Glycogen is the primary fuel source for muscles during exercise, whether it is weight lifting, cycling, jumping to block a volleyball or running during a soccer game. Studies have consistently demonstrated that athletes who compete with optimal glycogen stores perform better and recover quicker than those with suboptimal glycogen stores. In fact, there appears to be a glycogen threshold below which calcium release from muscle is impaired, resulting in significantly decreased muscle power output and consequently a decline in performance. This means that athletic performance will decline before glycogen stores reach zero, indicating that an athlete should always be thinking about “topping off” their glycogen stores with carbohydrate.
However, there are plenty of logistical barriers to consuming carbohydrates before and during intense exercise. For example, many athletes experience some GI distress when consuming solid foods too close to their exercise start times. Some nutrients, including dietary fats, fiber and protein, slow down digestion, thereby increasing the risk of stomach cramping during exercise when blood flow is shunted away from the digestive tract and towards working muscles.
Enter-in carbohydrate-containing beverages. Carbohydrate-containing beverages, or sports drinks, have simple sugars (i.e., glucose, fructose, sucrose) that are easily digested and quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, thus providing an easily accessible energy source during exercise. What’s more, the athlete will also be hydrating their body with fluids in the process, which is necessary given that just a 2% loss of body weight in sweat has been shown to significantly impair athletic performance and place a strain on the heart. Additionally, for salty sweaters, sports drinks typically contain some sodium to replenish what has been lost through sweat. This combination of carbohydrate, water and sodium can be a powerful resource for an athlete in the hour before and during exercise.
Now, sports drinks are not always necessary. In general, they do not need to be consumed as a regular beverage throughout the day. They are best used as an athlete is nearing exercise. Additionally, any exercise less than 1 hour should not require “topping off” glycogen stores during exercise, so a 30-45 minute workout could do just fine hydrating with plain water. However, long endurance events or all-day tournaments with back-to-back competitions may warrant the use of a sports beverage.
For those who prefer to make their own sports beverages, consider the following recipe created by sports dietitian Nancy Clark:
Homemade Sports Drink:
¼ cup sugar dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
add ¼ cup 100% fruit juice
add ¼ teaspoon salt.
Fill the container with water until it equals a quart.
As mentioned in last week’s article, the fruit juice in this recipe will provide natural sources of phytonutrients that help to reduce muscle inflammation and speed-up recovery. The fruit juice also contains many vitamins and minerals that are not found in a traditional sports drink.
It’s important to note that attempting to cram-in more carbohydrate into the fluid is not always better. A 6-8% carbohydrate solution is optimal and matches the rate of absorption into the bloodstream. A greater concentration of carbohydrate will only result in a “sloshy” stomach and increased risk of stomach cramps during exercise. Here’s how to calculate the carbohydrate concentration in a sports beverage:
The amount of carbohydrate in grams
—---------------------------------------------- x 100 = % carbohydrate concentration
The volume in one serving in milliliters
The bottom line: carbohydrate-containing sports beverages absolutely have a place in an athlete’s diet, and knowing how and when to incorporate them can be the difference between excellent performance and suffering through a workout with underfueled and poorly hydrated muscles.
Working with a dietitian is a great way to learn more about how to properly fuel and hydrate your body for physical activity. If you would like to work with me, schedule a FREE discovery call here.