Sports drinks have secured an irreplaceable place in the realm of sports where every ounce of energy counts. From gym trainers to cyclists, today, everyone relies on sports drinks to ward away exhaustion, replenish their electrolytes, and boost their energy levels. However, The debate over whether sports drinks enhance athletic performance is still heated.
Do these vibrant liquids truly live up to their hype, or is it just another gimmick that managed to become a part of a trend? You will find the answer soon enough. Let’s delve into the world of sports drinks and find out if they deserve the spotlight or not.
What’s in Sports Drinks?
We first need to understand their composition to determine if these drinks work. Sports drinks claim to replenish energy during and after exercise or any strenuous activity. The main purpose of these liquids is to restore the used sugar reserve of the body and the lost electrolytes in the sweat.
Carbohydrates are the main energy source for your body; once your body runs out of it, it starts consuming stored fats, thus leading to weight loss.
An average sports drink is a blend of sugars (typically maltodextrin, sucrose, or glucose syrup), citric acid, and salt.
Some renowned manufacturers in the sports industry, like Gatorade and Prime, have variations of drinks that contain 0 sugar drinks for those aiming to lose kgs. If you are one of them, getting Prime Grape Wholesale drinks can be the best option for losing weight while replenishing your lost electrolytes.
Prime drinks contain coconut water, BCAA For Muscle Recovery, B Vitamins, Antioxidants and Electrolytes, making them one of the most popular among athletes and gym regulars.
In essence, Sports drinks restore lost electrolytes and boost energy levels to prepare you for another set of dips.
How Do Sports Drinks Increase Performance?
Recent studies have concluded that sports drinks can help boost athletic performance, especially during hot temperatures. The human body is bound to lose a lot of water in warm weather through sweating. Sweat also contains many salts and minerals that make their way out of the body to leave a void behind.
Filling up this void is necessary if you want to save yourself from low blood pressure, heat stroke, nausea, fainting, etc. Sports drinks are the knights in colorful armor in this regard. The drinks not only restore lost water but also the electrolytes that are necessary for normal body functioning.
Chugging down cool sports drinks also boosts your energy levels since your body is packed with electrolytes, and everything is good once again.
Types of Sports Drinks
There are currently three main types of sports drinks as follows:
Hypotonic
Such drinks contain low amounts of carbs and electrolytes as compared to the human body, making them suitable for use after workouts.
Hypertonic
Such drinks have higher amounts of carbs and electrolytes than the human body. These are better for people who are into endurance sports.
Isotonic
Isotonic drinks have almost the same balance of electrolytes and water as human blood. They are ideal for replenishing lost electrolytes via sweating.
How To Choose a Sports Drink?
Although sports drinks have their positive aspects, you need to ensure the amount of each ingredient before settling down for a particular sports drink. Not all drinks are created equal, as some contain high amounts of sugar for those who are struggling to gain weight, and zero-calorie drinks for those trying to lose weight.
Also, some drinks contain more electrolytes for those people who are constantly engaged in physical exercises that tend to drain electrolytes much faster than normal ones.
So, you need to understand what sports drinks are the best for the type of exercise or athletic activity that you are involved in.
Stay Energetic, Stay Motivated
Sports drinks might be the best way for you to keep your energy levels high. Although water can suffice for your hydration needs, you need to keep track of your electrolyte balance to stay on top of your athletic game.
