It’s easy for athletes and weekend warriors to be overwhelmed by the number of options to stay hydrated in the marketplace today.
From sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade to non-alcoholic energy drinks like Red Bull and 5-Hour Energy, it can difficult to determine the most effective and appropriate beverage for workout needs. And where do regular and flavored waters fit in?
To make an educated decision, it’s important to know the ingredients in each type of drink, says Janiece Stewart, sports medicine physician at the Center for Orthopedic Surgery & Sports Medicine at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, Ill.
Generally, sports drinks contain electrolytes and minerals like sodium, potassium and chloride—all vital to replenishing the body during and after a strenuous workout, Stewart says. Conversely, energy drinks contain more caffeine and related byproducts like sugar.
Stewart recommends that most athletes stick with sports drinks for long runs or walks or regular gym workouts.
“Between Gatorade and Powerade, they’re similar in what they offer,” she says. “There’s a slight difference between the two, however. Powerade tends to have more sugar than Gatorade. Typically, what I recommend to (my patients) is if you’re going to exercise two hours at a time, I would recommend using Gatorade. If it’s less than two hours, a Powerade would be better.
“Some of it depends on the type of exercise. For example, half- and full-marathoners are going at a higher intensity and sweating more, thus losing more salt than sugar. The Gatorade tends to have more salt or sodium than Powerade.”
Energy drinks do have a place for athletes, Stewart says, when used under the proper circumstances.
“The only time I would recommend a drink like that is if you’re in the middle of the workout and you feel like you’re dragging, fatigued,” Stewart explains. “I’ve noticed this with power lifters who hadn’t eaten enough through the day.
“For athletes needing a quick boost I would recommend an energy drink. However, beforehand, be sure to drink at least a half-liter of Gatorade.”
Stewart cautions against consuming too many liquids prior or during a workout.
“Depending on the sport or activity, typically before exercise, you don’t want to drink too many sugars or carbs. That will slow down digestion and make you feel heavy and sluggish,” she says. “The key to some of these drinks is timing with the exercise. You want to be prepared to exercise with enough electrolytes and sugars, then you want to drink something during the exercise.
“Afterwards, you want to continue replenishing your system. It does help with recovery. Most of my athletes drink 16 to 24 ounces of fluid for every pound they lose during exercise.”
Also, regular H2O certainly has its place in workouts, particularly for distance runners.
“I would base (consumption) on how long they’re running,” Stewart says. “For runs in the two-hour range, I would recommend Gatorade and water by alternating both. If all you drink is water in a marathon, that can be a problem near the end of the race. It can trick the body in thinking it doesn’t have enough salt. You could start feeling light-headed, fatigued, etc.”
A new drink on the market, VitaminWater, also offers some benefit when used properly. “I think it is not good for replacing sodium or sugar,” Stewart says. “But for people who don’t like plain water, they tend to tolerate the VitaminWater because it has more sugar and taste.”
Additional sources:
webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/what-to-drink-when-you-exercise
well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/phys-ed-do-energy-drinks-improve-athletic-performance/
