Do You Really Need Electrolyte Sports Drinks When Exercising

If you are someone that enjoys exercising you must stay Stay Hydrated. Drink fluids (water) all day long. Try drinking 8-10 ounces of fluids every 2-3 ½ hours daily. Water helps flush the fat and toxins out of your body, while keeping the skin (largest organ in the body) looking great. Despite the popular trendiness of drinking electrolyte sports drinks, you probably don’t need them. As the name implies electrolytes are substances in the body that act like electrically conductive mediums for muscle contraction and nerve conduction.

The problem is sodium (an electrolyte) concentration in sweat ranges from 0.46 to 2.3 g/L. The average American takes in about 4 to 6 g daily. Well enough to replace what would have been depleted during exercise. Potassium, magnesium and calcium (the other important electrolytes) do get lost in sweat, but at such a slow rate, it has no effect on the average person who trains for only 30-60 min daily. Electrolyte imbalances due occur if:

·Intense continuous exercise is employed for over 5 hrs

·Exercise has begun in a dehydrated state

·Vomiting and diarrhea has transpired.

Here are some simple tips: drink at least 1pt of fluids, 2 hrs before any activity that causes sweat to occur. During the activity try taking big gulps of very cold fluids. Studies show that gulping colder fluids actually increases absorption. A very simple way to determine whether or not you have enough fluids in your system is to check your urine. Don’t worry! I’m not going to suggest drinking your own urine like some people do. I can’t even imagine! A well hydrated person will have a clear, light yellow color in their urine. A dehydrated person will have a very dark, brown color urine. The dark color means your kidneys are working over time to flush out wastes from your system.

You might ask what all the fuss is about? A dehydrated person might experience the following:

Reduced blood and plasma levels= the heart works harder to supply muscles with nutrients (read The Greenies article to find out why plasma levels are so important)
Increase blood lactate levels(high lactate levels causes muscle's to fatigue and subsequently forces people to stop exercising)
Reduced muscle blood flow= effects high power muscle movement in sports
Again, water is the best fluid out there and it’s free!!! I choose the brand name that has lasted for years in my house, good old fashioned tap water. Tap water goes through more stringent testing than the fancy bottled water people pay $2.00 a pop for. Here’s to your health!