Hydration & Electrolytes

Sports drinks are helpful in facilitating hydration and replacing electrolytes, but many are loaded with too much sugar and calories.  All sports drinks have three main components: water, salt and energy. You want to make sure you are replacing the two main sources of electrolytes that are lost during exercise: sodium and potassium.

 

Sports drinks can be hypotonic, isotonic or hypertonic based on the concentration of electrolytes and carbohydrates in the solution.  Hypotonic drinks have lower concentration of salt and electrolytes compared to the human body.  Isotonic drinks have a similar concentration of salt and electrolytes as the human body.  Hypertonic drinks have higher concentration of salt and electrolytes; they are absorbed more quickly than the others.   With low to moderate exercise, hypotonic, water is sufficient to replenish fluid lost. With activities lasting longer than 60 minutes isotonic drinks are more suitable.  With high volume and intense training lasting more than 60-90 minutes, hypertonic drinks may be more appropriate.​

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