Sports drinks - The University of British Columbia Athletics

SPORTS DRINKS What are Sports Drinks? Sports drinks come in a variety of forms including liquid, powdered, tablet, and even homemade but all aim to combine: 1.

Fluid – for rehydration, fluid balance and cooling down core temperature

2.

Electrolytes – for replacement of minerals lost in sweat

3.

Carbohydrates – for quickly available sugar or energy

Do I need a sport drink? It depends on the amount of glycogen you will need to fuel your training session – see the table below. In general, look for the following in your sports drink: Carbohydrate content: The body finds it easy to absorb carbohydrate and water from the small intestine when the carbohydrate concentration is 4 - 8%. On the label look for a sports drink that contains: • 20 – 40g CHO in 500mls Multiple carbohydrate sources: the intestinal wall contains different carbohydrate transporters meaning that it can absorb more carbohydrate if multiple types of carbohydrate are made available to it. On the label look for different carbohydrate mixes such as: • maltodextrin : fructose • glucose : fructose • glucose : sucrose : fructose Sodium: Sodium stimulates the absorption of both carbohydrate and water from the small intestine. It stimulates thirst receptors, so you are encouraged to drink more and hence replace fluids faster. The ideal range for sodium is 230 – 345mg per 500mls. Flavour: Make sure this is something you enjoy! Practise in training what you will use in competition – especially sports drinks in the form of powders as these are often what you will take with you when you are on the road. Non-caffeinated: If you are using caffeine as a performance aid you should use coffee or LCG/HFL tested caffeine supplements. Avoid sports drinks containing caffeine, guarana, herbal ingredients, or other ‘extra’ ingredients Non-carbonated: Carbonated drinks can cause gut irritation, especially when combined with nerves. Most also either contain carbohydrate in too high a concentration to support hydration needs (>8%) or no carbohydrate at all. They are best avoided to support training or competition.



A SPORTS NUTRITION PUBLICATION © THE UBC DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS AND RECREATION, APRIL 2016



When Daily



Y/N NO

Pre exercise

YES NO

During exercise

Light

NO

Moderate

MAYBE

High Intensity

YES

Long duration

YES

Post exercise

YES NO

Why It’s unlikely that you will need the extra calories if not exercising. Water will be fine. If you have not eaten a pre-exercise meal and you are within 30 minutes of exercising If you have time to have a small pre training snack. Water will be fine. You are exercising at a very easy pace e.g. walking or stretching for less than 45 minutes e.g. light practice e.g. pre game walk through You are exercising for less than 6o minutes but at a high intensity e.g. hard practice or game. (approx. 500mls of sports drink + additional water may be beneficial) You are exercising at a high intensity for 60 – 90 minutes e.g. football, rugby (approx. 750mls of sports drink + additional water is recommended) You are exercising at a continuous pace for longer than 90 minutes e.g. bike ride (approx. 750mls of sports drink per hour + additional water is recommended) You have forgotten to bring a recovery snack to training and will not eat within 30 minutes You have brought a recovery snack with both protein and carbohydrates in it.

Take Home Messages 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Carry a water bottle with you all the time and take small sips throughout the day Hydrate with at least 250 - 500mls of fluid in the 30 minutes before activity Drink at least 500mL of fluids at meals Keep a water bottle beside your bed to consume fluids as needed during the night If you are competing in a hot environment or suffer with cramp, add a pinch of salt to every 1L of fluid you drink the day before and the day of competition Replace fluids lost after training Water is always a great choice; however sports drink can be beneficial as they combine fluid, electrolytes including sodium and carbohydrates for rehydration and energy **Please speak with your Sports Dietitian for further information**

A SPORTS NUTRITION PUBLICATION © THE UBC DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS AND RECREATION, APRIL 2016