Sports Drinks

Many athletes make the mistake of loading up on sugar before intense exercise. They eat candy, drink something ultra sweet, or drink a sports drink. These are the worst things they can do.

Sugar elevates insulin in the bloodstream. Exercise makes insulin dump glucose into the muscles for fuel. The body responds by stopping its production of glucose in the liver. This triggers low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). As a result, the athlete's performance will suffer. The body is forced into premature exhaustion. Dizziness, nausea, and headache occur. To avoid this, do not drink or eat something sugary within two hours before heavy exercise. Fruit juices or sports drinks taken after heavy exercise are better than water for rehydration.

Sports drinks are very effective in reducing dehydration. Drink them during or after hard work or long exercise sessions, not before. Sports drinks rehydrate the body faster and more thoroughly than water alone. Thirst is prolonged by the minerals in sports drinks. This keeps people drinking until fully rehydrated. For a 20 to 30 minute exercise, water works well to avoid dehydration. Take a cup of water one-half hour before exercise and at least a cup immediately after exercise.

Electrolytes can be found in most sports drinks. These are simply minerals. Minerals help maintain fluid levels in the body. Any mineral can be an electrolyte. The main ones are sodium, potassium, and chloride. Most people can replenish the electrolytes lost during exercise with their normal diet. For example, the same amount of sodium that is in one glass of a sports drink is in a glass of milk.

Performance is enhanced and endurance is prolonged by drinking sports drinks. Drink 3 to 6 ounces every 15 to 20 minutes during exercise sessions that are longer than 30 minutes.

Find a sports drink that can be quickly absorbed. A sports drink with 5 to 7 percent glucose is best for a hard workout. Anything higher than this, or sugar drinks with fructose (fruit juices), take a long time to be absorbed. They draw a lot of water. This causes cramping, gas, and diarrhea. Fruit juice is 10 percent or more glucose and fructose. Reduce this amount by simply diluting it with water.

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