Why Electrolyte Sports Drinks Are Important.

Sport drinks are a big part of an athlete’s life; it is a big part of the athletics business all over the world. People see these beverages as magic elixirs that give more power, even to non-athletes. However, there are those people who would also tell you that this is just manufacturers doing the marketing, and water is the best form of hydration.

Whatever makes up majority of human body weight is critical to its proper functioning. Water makes up majority of the human body and it is lost through sweat, urine, and feces. It is also continually through the skin and when we breathe. This losses need to be replaced for the human body to stay healthy, and to replace it, it is recommended to drink lots of fluids regularly to avoid dehydration, a condition that occurs when a person eliminates fluids more than his intake; read here to know more.

Kim Woo Bin.

Sports Drinks
The main ingredient of sports drinks is water but they also contain many other substances. Electrolytes and carbohydrates that are substances that help improve bodily performance also make up these sports beverages. Most often, the carbohydrates are often added as sugars like sucrose, glucose and fructose.

Some sport drinks, however, are prepared with low or zero carbohydrates. This is so because it also wants to cater to people who want to make use of sport drinks to replenish lost electrolytes and water without taking in additional calories.

Electrolytes help produces ions in the fluids of the human body and it is necessary for the body to function properly. The main electrolytes that are usually found in sport drinks are potassium and sodium.

Sung Joon and Park Hyung Sik, High Society (2015).

Benefits to Athletes 
Water, electrolytes, and carbohydrates are important to an athlete’s performance. Athletes sweat too much, especially during a long exercise. Electrolytes are lost together with sweat and this has to be replaced to maintain the levels at a certain range.

Carbohydrates are stored in the body through the muscles and the liver in the form of glycogen. These stored carbohydrates are used as fuel to the body during exercise. So when an athlete exercises he is burning carbohydrates and this means stored carbohydrates are running out. To slow this process down, athletes should consume carbohydrates before or during his exercise or a game. This will ensure that carbohydrates in the body do not get depleted quickly. https://cehsp.d.umn.edu/sites/cehsp.d.umn.edu/files/theeffectsoflowcarbohydratedietsonenduranceperformance.pdf discusses the effects of carbohydrates in endurance performance.

This is where athletes benefit from sports drinks because it is designed to contain the important ingredients and provide athletes the stamina and strength so they can perform.

Lee Jang Woo, Glory Jane (2011).

Weight Loss
For people who are trying to lose weight or maintain a certain weight, like athletes do, it is important to consider a balance of energy or a balance of calories consumed and burn.

Losing weight would require burning of more calories than what is consumed. Sports drink may not be advisable when your objective is to lose weight because they contain carbohydrates which you want to shed off by burning them. It could hinder your weight loss goals. But studies also show that these drinks do not necessarily “undo” the calories you have already burned. Plus it can help you stay hydrated. The best thing is to consult your coaches or weight manager.

So Ji Sub.

Electrolytes are replenished
When an active person sweats electrolytes are lost. If these are lost too quickly the body is not able to restore them as quickly as it has lost them. Intake of sports drink can help dehydration from happening.

Drinking sports beverages help replenish the lost nutrients in the human body. It will help rehydrate the body. Dehydration, if not countered quickly, can result to very serious medical problems. So when a person is exerting too much energy and sweats continuously, he can be dehydrated quickly in a matter of 30 minutes. Thus, it is recommended for athletes to take sports beverages even before they start with their activities, and most especially during the activities to prevent them from dehydrating.

Exercise and strenuous activities hastens the metabolism of the body and quickly breaks down stored carbohydrates as energy is consumed. When the energy level is low, exhaustion happens. Therefore, athletes need to replace lost carbohydrates to prevent them from slowing down. The energy drinks can help sustain their stamina to complete their activity.

On top of that, the best electrolyte drinks quench thirsts as effectively as fresh and clean water. Exerting energy makes one sweat profusely, and sweating causes thirst. So the body needs quenching. Ideally, water is the best thirst-quenchers, but it does not provide the needed supplements that will sustain the energy, stamina, and endurance of athletes, hence, sport drinks are recommended. It provides the quenching necessary, plus it helps maintain the balance of nutrients in the body.