Sports  drinks,  or  carbohydrate-­‐based  beverages,  are  designed  to  replenish  your  expended  carbohydrate  stores  while  hydrating  and  replacing  lost  electrolytes.  While  they  taste  delicious  (cough…cough…sugary),  there  is  a  certain  time  when  they  are  beneficial,  and  then  a  time  when  they  just  add  excessive  calories  that  your  body  does  not  need.    

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Dehydration:  You  know  by  now  that  dehydration  is  a  prominent  risk  factor  for  athletes,  but  when  to  drink  water  and  when  to  drink  an  electrolyte-­‐filled  sports  drink?  Throughout  your  normal  day,  water  is  your  best  friend.  No  need  for  those  extra  calories  if  you’re  just  going  about  your  day-­‐to-­‐day  activities.  When  exercising  though  (for  an  hour  or  more),  go  ahead  and  grab  a  sports  drink,  but  feel  free  to  dilute  it  with  regular  water!  While  it  is  true  that  you  need  to  replenish  lost  fluids  and  electrolytes  during  an  intense  exercise  session,  there  is  no  need  to  consume  all  of  those  extra  calories  and  plain  sugar  that  come  in  sports  drinks.  Go  for  a  1:1  ratio  of  water:sports  drink.  It’ll  make  your  beverage  (and  your  buck)  go  farther.    

 

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Pre,  Post,  or  During?:  Sports  drinks  are  best  consumed  during  the  intense  athletic  event,  or  immediately  post  an  intense  exercise  routine.  Sports  drinks  should  NOT  be  used  as  a  meal  replacement  after  exercise,  but  can  be  a  good  way  to  get  a  quick  source  of  energy  and  electrolyte  replenishment  after  a  sweat-­‐sesh.  Have  4  –  8  ounces  of  sports  drink  (4  if  straight  sports  drink,  8  if  diluted  1:1  with  water)  immediately  post  exercise  if  there  is  no  other  snack  or  quick  food  available.    

Remember,  when  you  get  home  have  a  real  meal  with  whole  foods!  Incorporate  whole  grain  carbs  and  a  source  of  lean  protein  with  your  post  workout  meal  for  maximum  benefits.    

References:  Human  Performance  Resource  Center.  HPRC  dietary  supplements  classification  system:  sports  drinks.  Human  Performance  Resource  Center.  http://hprc-­‐online.org/dietary-­‐supplements/files/monograph-­‐sports-­‐drinks.  Accessed  July  24,  2015  

The  Skinny  on  

Sports  Drinks  

You  know  all  the  brands,  you’ve  seen  all  the  commercials,  and  you  know  the  types  of  beverages  that  are  in  vending  machines.  The  media  is  telling  you  that  you  need  sports  drinks  for  energy  and  electrolytes  and  that  you  can  essentially  drink  them  like  water  –  right?  Well,  it’s  a  bit  more  complex  than  that.  While  sports  drinks  definitely  can  have  a  place  in  an  athlete’s  hydration  routine,  it  is  not  necessary  to  make  them  a  regular  part  of  your  diet.  Read  on  to  find  out  exactly  how  and  why  to  drink  these  beverages!    

Sports  Drinks  101: