Sports drink
Encyclopedia : S : SP : SPO : Sports drink
A sports drink is a beverage designed to help athletes rehydrate, as well as replenish electrolytes, sugar, and other nutrients, which can be depleted after strenuous training or competition. Companies marketing these products point out the fact that plain water, despite its association with good health, can actually be toxic if consumed in large amounts (cf. water intoxication). This can happen because overconsumption of water literally dilutes the electrolytes already present in the human body to a dangerously low level (also called "hyponatremia"). Some, but not all, sports drinks are isotonic, meaning they contain the same proportions of nutrients as found in the body, and are thus safe for use during extended exercise.
The first sports drink was Lucozade, first manufactured in 1927. Gatorade, the best-known sports drink in the United States, was introduced in 1966.
Currently the largest growing segment of the sports drink market is non-athletes.[link] This market shift has led some sports drinks manufacturers to specifically target and develop products aimed at non-athletes, such as low-sodium or low-calorie sports drinks. In Scotland and Ireland, for example, sports drinks are often used as hangover cures by young males, or as a mixer for spirits.
However, the main products are still marketed to professional athletes. Non-athletes who use sports drinks should also be aware that many of them have a high level of carbohydrates. Consuming extra carbohydrates is counter-productive to weight loss, since in order to lose weight, one must consume fewer calories than one burns through exercise and normal energy expenditure. [link]
Sports drinks are different from energy drinks. Sports drinks are intended to replenish electrolytes, sugar, water, and other nutrients, and are usually isotonic (containing the same proportions as found in the human body). Energy drinks, on the other hand, simply provide lots of sugar and caffeine.
See also
- Staminade - Australian sports drink
- Oral rehydration therapy
External links
- [Fluids and Hydration in Sport] - includes a discussion of the role of hypotonic, isotonic and hypertonic drinks.
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.