Last Updated on May 10, 2022 by uthxlr8
Water is a vital component of our body, and it makes up about 60% of our body weight. Our body is wired in a way that every cell, tissue, and organ needs good hydration for optimal functioning. Water being a major component carries out various functions, including regulating internal temperature, cushioning the joints, and proper functionality of sensitive tissues. So hydration before, during, and after workouts is crucial for every athlete and people who work out. Considering this purpose, sports drinks became popular and came into the limelight. But what are sports drinks? What more do they provide than water? How do they benefit workouts and performance? Let’s get a deeper insight!
Sports Drinks: A Magical Elixir
Sports drinks are either water-based or powdered flavored beverages that are a fusion of many electrolytes like sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium to avoid body dehydration before, during, and after exercise. These sports drinks are formulated dedicatedly to offer a quick replacement for the fluids and electrolytes that we lose during workouts. In addition, the composition of these drinks is designed to fuel your muscles and replenish your body with energy. Sports drinks are available in form of gels, powder, effervescent as well. However, effervescent is not good and is unhealthy for long-term use as it has excessive sodium that can cause elevated blood pressure.
What ingredients make Sports Drinks so special?
- Water – Of course, the critical component of hydration – water, is present in sports drinks. When you carry out physical activities, your body heavily loses water and electrolytes in the form of sweat and urination. Therefore, replacing these two crucial components is necessary to avoid dehydration.
- Electrolytes – Sports[1] drinks contain electrolytes that supply the body with proper hydration and encourage rapid fluid consumption. Electrolytes carry out the function of balancing the amount of water in your body and maintaining the pH levels. In addition, they ensure optimal functioning of the brain, heart, muscles, and nerves. Predominantly, the electrolytes in sports drinks are sodium and potassium.
- Carbohydrates – Few sports drinks contain carbohydrates ranging from 6-8g per 100 ml. These are provided for enhanced energy, maintaining glycogen content, and improving the performance on the ground.
- Vitamins – Some sports drinks also offer nutrients like niacin, vitamin B6 and B12, and riboflavin. These are added to boost performance, improve metabolism, and supply energy.
What benefits do Sports Drinks offer to upgrade your workouts?
The numerous benefits offered by sports drinks can take your workouts to the next level. Here are a few considerable benefits of sports energy drinks:
- Supports athletes and gym-goers to perform better and train effectively by supplying energy to the body.
- Replenishes glycogen stores and replaces the body fluids and electrolytes lost during exercise.
- Prevents cramps and dizziness by ensuring sufficient hydration to the body.
- Offers extra resistance in carrying out intense workouts, resulting in delayed fatigue.
- Sports drinks that contain carbohydrates are an excellent source of quick energy and are easier to digest than protein or energy bars.
Water vs Sports Drinks: What’s the best for you?
Although water is unbeatable at hydrating the body, it’s certainly not enough for you. Let us tell you why. While carrying out high-intensity workouts, our bodies undergo extreme stress. In instances of such rigorous workouts, hydration with water would not be sufficient to replenish your lost electrolytes, as water doesn’t contain enough of it to supply to your body. Sports hydration drinks contain a powerful combination of essential electrolytes, carbohydrates, and vitamins along with water[2] . The electrolytes assist in rehydrating the body by maintaining the fluid levels and compensating for the water lost in sweat. These together work in coordination to offer enhanced recovery to your body from strenuous exercises.
Additionally, our brains and muscles depend on glucose to function optimally. Sports drinks help in avoiding dehydration that, in turn, results in improved physical performance. The better our body absorbs the lost electrolytes from sports drinks, the better it can delay fatigue and utilize most of our body during workouts.
Are sports drinks healthy?
We all know that excess calorie are the culprit for weight gain. Sport drinks brands that add high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates have more calories as compared to normal sports drinks[3] . Besides, sugar leads to bloating and a sudden insulin spike. While choosing a sports drink, it is preferred that you choose a sports drink that is a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates for sustained energy. Otherwise, the other ingredients like electrolytes, vitamins, and water are all super-healthy for your body.
Furthermore, sports drinks are a great fit for individuals who undergo high-intensity workouts, and for athletes like marathon runners, cyclists, etc. People carrying out light workouts can stick to water since water will suffice the hydration needs for a light workout.
Why Isotonic drinks are more beneficial than Glucon-D/Rasna?
Isotonic drinks offer way more than Glucon-D. How? Well, here’s the thing. Essentially, Glucon-D contains three ingredients; glucose, sucrose, and fructose. Out of which, glucose is the main preferred source of energy. From these three ingredients, there is only 40% of glucose and 56% of sucrose. The amount of sugar and fat-producing properties are higher in Glucon-D. Furthermore, Glucon-D lacks the essential electrolytes necessary to replenish your body.
On the contrary, isotonic drinks are beverages rich in carbohydrates and designed to holistically rehydrate the body during workouts. They offer long-lasting rehydration formulas and vital electrolytes for muscle repair and recovery. Additionally, isotonic drinks contain glutamine which plays a key role in protein metabolism and anti-catabolism. Moreover, isotonic drinks deliver carbohydrates in a compact form that allows a boost of energy during training. Thus, isotonic drinks are certainly a winner over Glucon-D and Rasna.
Check out the best isotonic drink.
Sports Drinks Vs Electral
One serving of electral powder contains around 1300 mg and 800 mg of sodium chloride and potassium chloride respectively. Additionally, it also consists of 1450 mg of sodium citrate and 6750 mg of Dextrose. On the contrary, sports drinks supply the body with the right amount of electrolytes and combination of carbohydrates which provides sustained energy. Therefore, sports drinks should be preferred over electral powder.
Final Words
If you want to make sure that you make the most out of your workout sessions, then sports drinks are the best fit for you. Not only do these sports drinks help in lasting longer on the gym floor or ground, but they also are a great way to spice up your hydration game. And well, aren’t we all bored of the same old taste of water?
XLR8 Isotonic Rehydration Instant Formula is an isotonic anti-catabolic drink that comes with a powerful combination of carbohydrates, vital electrolytes, and glutamine for instant energy and excellent rehydration. The unique combination of Dextrose, Maltodextrin, L-Glutamine, Minerals, and Salts helps the body to release more sugar into the bloodstream for energy. Its quick absorption delivers 30 gm of carbohydrates and 120 kcal worth of energy within 5-7 minutes after consumption.
Experience the best sports drink with XLR8’s proven rehydration formula.