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CLINICS Marathon Half Marathon Trail Walk Run A Walk Run B Intro to Running Intermediate Run Faster Triathlon North Shore Athletics p:604-990-6888 f:604-990-1113 |
| Sports Drinks Demystified |
| Every
runner knows that perform optimally, one must stay hydrated by drinking
fluids before, after, and during their workouts. As a result, most
are diligent about drinking water and then forget the issue. Yet how
many runners are aware that you can have too much water? It's true, there is such a thing as too much water. The condition is called hyponatremia Essentially, it occurs when essential minerals have been diluted or flushed out of the system through excessive sweating and the consumption of only water. The most important of these minerals are electrolytes such as sodium and potassium which transmit messages throughout the body. These are lost through sweat and need to be replenished along with water. Without these electrolytes, muscles cannot contract and release properly (leading to cramping and muscles spasms), nor can the brain relay messages to and from the other organs of the body. As a result, sports drinks are often referred to as electrolyte drinks since they contain these essential minerals for optimal function of the body. To complicate matters further, not all sports drinks are created equal, nor is there a clear winner among them. There are pros and cons to every product out there, each focusing on different electrolytic ratios, using various energy sources, and each will likely have a different effect on one's stomach. So let's take a quick look at various styles of products. Various Hydration Products First, there are the readily-available Gatorades and Powerades which everyone knows of. These contain large amounts of sodium and some potassium, both of which are lost by the body during exercise. The pros of these drinks is that they are easy to pick up at any corner store and are often supplied during races. There are, however, many drawbacks to these drinks. Initially, many people find the drinks too sweet and concentrated, leading to an agitated stomach and sometimes cramping. They also rely upon the simplest forms of sugar for an energy source, spiking energy levels which then will drop drastically. Also, there is relatively little potassium in the drinks and no other minerals. Next, there are the more advanced sodium-oriented drinks. eLoad is the most popular, offering a large quantity of sodium, some potassium, plus some extra minerals like zinc and calcium. It has a much more mild flavour, making it easier on the stomach. In terms of sugars, it uses a greater variety of simple sugars which will cause multiple smaller spikes in energy and thus less of a dropoff. Gu2O is another available product, again focusing primarily on sodium, but it uses a more complex sugar for an energy source. This means it will be slightly superior for sustained energy. One other drink which focuses on sodium is Accelerade, offering similar properties to these other drinks along with a 4-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein. Some find this to extend endurance and increase performance. The next two products are potassium oriented. Both Flash5 Thrust and Ultima have a great concentration of potassium to sodium, which is rare to find in this market. The concept is that too much sodium intake can set off the regulatory hormone aldosterone in the body, causing bloating and cramping. Most drinks focus on sodium because there is generally more sodium than potassium in sweat, but this is largely due to the fact that there is a disproportional excess of sodium in the body due to the salt content of processed foods. Thus, some people find these products more favourable. The Ultima drink is slightly different than any of the others, however, in the fact that it is not a significant source of energy. It contains many more trace minerals than none of the other drinks possess and has no sugar. This means that it is to be used in conjunction with gels or some other energy source. Which One Then? There you have a list of some available products and a description of what they offer, but this is generally useless until you test the products to discover what works best for you. Is it more important to focus on the sodium or the potassium? Once again, it is a case by case situation where each athlete needs to test the various products on their system. Even after testing them all, some cannot find a suitable product. In this case, another option is the consumption of electrolyte caps. The modern equivalent of salt tablets, these pills generally contain sodium, potassium, and various other electrolytes. Summary Hydration is often the most underestimated aspect of training and racing. It is essential to replace both water and electrolytes to perform optimally for any sport. With a variety of products on the market, it is best to test out a few to figure out which is best for you.
-Tom Skinner |