Runner's Oasis | Nutrition | Sports Drinks
Sports Drinks

Ok, there are A LOT of sports drinks out there. Ever wonder which ones are the best? And what IS a sports drink anyways? Well, this section is going to help you find out the answers to those questions and more....

SPORTS DRINKS: What are they exactly?

Sports drinks are usually a mixture of carbohydrates and electrolytes. The carbo's for energy and the electrolytes (sodium and potassium) for maintaining a fluid balance. A drink that has too much of either carbohydrates or electrolytes will hinder the fluid absorption; that is why sports drinks are usually more dilute than juices or soda. Sports drinks have an added benefit over water, they both hydrate AND energize you!

When do I need them? Will they help?

If your workout is longer than an hour, a sports drink WILL help you. In fact, drinks that contain sodium are actually recommended for those long workouts. For shorter workouts, a sports drink won't hurt you, but it probably won't help you much either.
NOW THE LOWDOWN ON ALL THOSE CHOICES
What to choose, what to choose...
Here's a handy chart so that you can do your own comparing.

BrandCaloriesCarbos
All Sport
70
19
Endura
62
16
Exceed
70
17
Gatorade
50
14
Hydra Fuel
70
17
PowerAde
70
19
Sports Toddy
46
9
10-K
60
15
XLR8
62
15

Things to think about:

Vitamin B:There's been a recent study of sports drinks and the researchers found that drinks with added B vitamins are even more beneficial to runners. The B vitamins (Thiamine, Niacin, B6, Panotothenic Acid and B12) help with energy metabolism and circulation.
All Sport is the first to add these vitamins to their drinks.

FLAVORS!!! It's been proven that people prefer and will drink more of a flavored drink than of just plain water.

We are conducting a Sports Drinks poll to see which flavors and which sports drinks people prefer. Please take a few minutes and fill out our poll. It will helps us add to this section by including the favorite brand and flavor of high school runners.

Let me see the results of the sports drinks poll!

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Last updated: 8/15/1996