Sports Drinks (Page 2 of 2)

Absorption Factors
Fluid absorption is affected by sugar concentration of the beverage. Most sport drinks have a carbohydrate concentration of 5 to 10 percent. Other beverages such as sodas and fruit juices have a carbohydrate concentration of 12 to 15 percent. These beverages are not absorbed as fast into the bloodstream because of their high concentration of sugar. For this reason, do not drink fruit juices or sodas during long duration exercises. Many athletes will cut the beverage with 50% water to lower the concentration of carbohydrates.

Absorption and Beverage Temperature
Another factor that affects the speed of fluid absorption is the temperature of the beverage. Cool fluid is absorbed from the stomach faster than lukewarm fluid. Cool fluid also helps keep the body temperature normal during exercise.

How Much Should You Drink?
The intestinal tract can only absorb about a quart of fluid per hour. This means you should drink 8 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes during long duration exercise. Since you can lose fluids up to twice as fast as this during exercise, you need to drink fluid not only during exercise, but before and after exercise.

Electrolytes
Electrolytes are minerals such as sodium and potassium that are found in body fluids. When you sweat, sodium is the primary electrolyte lost and you lose it at about a rate of 1,000 mg for every quart of sweat. Replacing sodium is crucial during long duration exercise because low blood sodium levels can cause serious problems even death. By maintaining proper sodium levels, electrolytes can also improve fluid absorption in the body. Look for sport drinks that have between 50 and 120 mg of sodium per serving to maintain proper fluid balance.

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