Are sports drinks really better than water?

[BCYL]

I'm talking about stuff like Powerade... Are they really better than just water after exercising?

 

[her209]

Yes.

 

[db]

Get some water and add a little fruit juice and it's just as "healthy" as a sport drink, but cheaper.
If you're going to sweat a lot, toss in a little salt.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: db
Get some water and add a little fruit juice and it's just as "healthy" as a sport drink, but cheaper.
If you're going to sweat a lot, toss in a little salt.

The salt is a necessary electrolyte so your voltage stays up as you keep losing salt throught your sweat.


*cough*

 

[simms]

Originally posted by: her209
Yes.

I've heard that too. Usually the gain is minimal, but to the enduring athlete any 'edge' over another is more than welcome.

 

[BCYL]

It was the first time I tried one of those sports drinks today... and it was much better for my thrist than regular Soda... doesnt feel as heavy...

So just wondering how it compares to regular water...

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: BCYL
It was the first time I tried one of those sports drinks today... and it was much better for my thrist than regular Soda... doesnt feel as heavy...

So just wondering how it compares to regular water...

SODA dehydrates you...=bad


General Consensus is if you excercise the argument stays between:

electrolyte drink vs plain water vs home-made concoction

 

[Slickone]

Sports drinks and soda = too much sugar. Sugar dehydrates you, among other problems. And for salt, if your like most people, you probably already get too much salt in your food.

 

[Mday]

some are.

your body requires salts, which are commonly refered to as electrolytes. that's also why a sodium free diet is a bad idea. if you have been to a hospital, or watched some hospital show, the saline solution commonly used in iv drips is a salt solution which matches your blood's characteristics.

certain sports drinks (gatorade for example) contains electrolytes. drinking this water will help your body absorb the water faster, i do not have exact details. but i will say this, all else the same, drinking 32 oz of gatorade will also mean you pee faster than drinking 32oz of water. ;-) and as mentioned above, some sports drinks have too much sugar, which is not a really good thing unless you need it. some drinks also have vitamins and minerals.

another note on water: your body cannot absorb distilled water (pure water). drinking it is no way to keep yourself hydrated.

 

[glen]

I think NA beers are likely to be better for you than the "sports" drinks, which have too much sugar.

 

[spanky]

they sure are more expensive.

 

[The_Dude8]

Gatorade: it's in you?