Question:

How long do you need to exercise before you recommend drinking a sports drink?

— S. Mindel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. --- Reply by Richard Cotton

Answer:

When you exercise for longer than 90 minutes, your body's carbohydrate stores will begin to deplete. Sports drinks can help slow that loss and improve performance. But most everyday workouts don't last more than an hour and a half, so water will do the trick. Drink about eight ounces 20 minutes before your workout and sip another four ounces every fifteen minutes while exercising. Drink another glass or two afterwards to make sure you are fully re-hydrated.

Consider this — at 50 calories per eight-ounce serving, drinking eight ounces of sports drink before, 12 during and 16 ounces after is 225 calories. Four workouts per week, 52 weeks a year adds up to 46,800 calories. At 3,500 calories per pound of fat, that's 13 extra pounds gained DURING exercise. Stick with water during your everyday workout.

Quick, Easy, and Cheap Sports Drink

© 2001 Jim Fiore, all rights reserved

(A slightly modified version of this article originally appeared in SpliTimes issue 15/4, April, 2001)

Every seasoned runner (basketballer) knows the importance of staying hydrated. For long runs of an hour or more, studies have shown that your performance may be improved if you also consume carbohydrates. This is particularly important in endurance competitions such as marathons and triathlons. Instead of water, you're better off using a sports drink such as Gatorade, Powerade, and the like. In this article we'll take an overview of what goes into the typical sports drink and how to make your own for just pennies per serving.

Sports drinks tend to have the optimal carbohydrate concentration of around 6 to 8 percent, or about 55 to 70 calories per 8 ounce serving. The type of carbohydrate used varies considerably between brands. The most popular appear to be glucose (highest glycemic index, and therefore very quickly absorbed), sucrose (table sugar, middle glycemic index), and fructose (fruit sugar, lower glycemic index). Gatorade for example, uses a combination of glucose and sucrose, while Cytomax includes glucose, fructose, and maltodextrin (yet another type of carbohydrate). Because you want to quickly absorb these carbs during exercise, sports drinks generally do not contain protein or fat which would slow the process.

Sports drinks also supply a modest amount of salt (sodium) to help balance the electrolytes lost from sweat, speed absorption, and keep your thirst up. The sodium content is typically 50 to 150 milligrams per serving. Some drinks also contain nutrients such as vitamin C. None of the unbiased sources I located indicated that such nutrients boosted performance during exercise. They seem to be more of a marketing gimmick.

Probably the biggest variable for most people is taste. There are a number of products out there, and many are available in a variety of flavors. The other obvious item is cost. While probably no one will wind up in the poor house from buying sports drinks, folks who log a lot of miles can really burn through the stuff. Is there another option?

First, soda does not compare favorably to a sports drink. Besides being comparably priced, soda usually is around a 12 percent carbo solution. Although you might think "more is better", in this case the higher concentration lowers the absorption rate. Also, the sodium content varies all over the place. Fruit juices such as orange and grapefruit also tend to have a higher than optimal carbo concentration (again, around 11 or 12 percent). The sodium content is normally very low, although they usually pack a decent amount of potassium. Fruit juice doesn't have a long shelf life compared to a sports drink, and again, they're not cheap. 

After much research and noodling around, I believe that I have come up with a very inexpensive and easy to make "home brew" sports drink. It is based on a recipe that I found on www.anaerobic.net. One of the nice parts is that you get to "tweak" it to your own taste.

I'd rather not have jugs of sports drink hogging up my refrigerator so I make this on an as-needed basis for a standard 20 ounce sports bottle. To the bottle, add 3 level tablespoons of table sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of salt (about 2 healthy pinches). This is the base, and will produce a 6 percent carbohydrate solution with about 100 milligrams of sodium per serving (very similar to Gatorade). To this, add your flavoring. This is where you get to be creative. Here are a couple of the things that I have tried: 1/3 packet of unsweetened Kool-Aid, Wyler's, or similar drink powder, or a couple of healthy squeezes of lemon juice (I'm lazy so I use Real Lemon in the squeeze bottle)....Once you've dumped in all of the dry ingredients, fill the bottle halfway with water and shake it up to mix it all together (particularly important if you go the cocoa route). Top off the bottle with water and you're ready to go.

I think that you'll find this to be as effective as any sports drink, far less expensive, and certainly more personalized.  Happy swilling!

From:  http://www.dissidents.com/

articles/sportsdrink.htm

Dehydration, 

hydration, 

and a cheap 

sports drink 

recipe

by Joe Morgan

Keep hydrated: to do this a good tasting beverage is best, as your more likely to drink something you like. Try to take little sips all day instead of ingesting huge amounts when you feel thirsty. When you feel thirsty it's already too late anyway. Same goes for food: avoid eating a lot at one time. You want all your energy to work on holding that painful crimp, not digesting your meal.

Sport drinks are a good (but expensive) way to ensure your body stays thoroughly hydrated. Here's why:

They're sugar and electrolyte bombs: the sugar, and especially sodium helps you retain the ingested fluid. This means you have to drink less to achieve a good level of hydration. You won't feel waterlogged as easily. This is also the reason why you shouldn't drink them like water: take little sips instead.

The sugar in them can come in different forms: granulated sugar (sucrose), maltodextrin, glucose. Avoid drinks that are fructose-based since they absorb slowly. The electrolyte part is salt-based (sodium) in most sport drinks. Normally we get plenty of sodium in our food but adding some makes sure the drink gets optimally absorbed.

Commercially available sport drinks are just that: sources of sugar and electrolytes. Here's a way to make your own cheap sugar-electrolyte bomb:

Never exceed a 7% sugar/water solution! Exceeding this level of sugar/electrolytes actually slows down the absorption!

1 liter water
1/3 cup sugar (66 grams)
1/4 tablespoon salt (sodium-chloride)
and unsweeted fruit powder mix to taste

From:

http://www.rockclimbing.com/

articles/index.php?ID=72

Did you know...

Water is by far the most important element for human survival...

Water comprises 60% or more of you body weight.

Evaporation is the body's primary means for dissipating heat during exercise.

Regular fluid intake before, during and after exercise can reduce the risk of dehydration.

Water, if taken during exercise, will maintain your bodies highest level of performance.

The Drink of Champions

Careful controlled scientific studies have shown that when you lose as little as two pounds of water during exercise, your ability to perform hard work can drop 15%!  A seven-pound water loss, which is not extraordinary for a professional athlete in humid and hot weather, can decrease work ability by a very damaging 30%.  Athletes lose more contest through dehydration than any other nutritional deficit.

All athletes should make sure that they are properly hydrated before during and after exercise.  The body can absorb only a relatively small amount of water (about 1 to 2 pints or 500 ml to 1 litre) an hour) from the stomach during exercise, so you should drink at least 1 pint of water before you actually begin exercise or competition.

Commercially touted sports drinks give your body much more

sodium

potassium

and sugar than it needs.

Sodium, potassium and sugar all act to draw vital body water into the stomach away from the parts of the body that most need water during exercise, i.e., your body's muscles.

Sports drinks stay in the stomach too long to benefit your athletic performance.  Pure water leaves the stomach and enters the bloodstream much faster.  During exercises, particularly competitive exercise, digestion virtually ceases, which means that the energy that the sugar in sports drinks is meant to provide is not immediately available to the muscles and brain.  In fact, sugar during exercise works against performance.

Peak Performance 

Guidelines for 

Fluid Intake

Drink at least 6 to 8 cups of water or sports drink each day.

Drink 2 cups of water or sports drink about 15 minutes prior to exercise or competition

Drink at least 1 cup of water or sports drink every 15 to 30 minutes during exercise or competition.

Drink at least 2 cups of water or sports drink beyond your thirst requirements after exercise or competition

Drink chilled rather than warm liquids for faster absorption from the stomach.  Chilled drinks also help to decrease elevated body temperatures.

Drink 1 additional cup of water or sports drink if you have had caffeinated drinks (colas, tea, coffee) within 12 hours of exercise or competition.

From:

Eat To Win:

The Sports Nutrition Bible

by Dr. Robert Haas

New American Library, Signet Edition, N.Y., 1983, page 107/8.

1. 75% of North-Americans are chronically dehydrated.  

2. In 37% of North-Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for  almost 100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study.

5. Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to  80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen

8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast  cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

COKE

1. In many U.S. states, the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the truck to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum  foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a  load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. This is very interesting. Check it out.


For Your Information:

1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis.

2. To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials.

3. The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years!

So, would you like a glass of water or Coke?

Athletes neglect fluid intake--expert

By Geoff McMaster

August 9, 2001 – It would seem obvious that getting enough fluids during athletic competition is crucial for success. But too few athletes work a fluid-intake strategy into their training regimen, says Ronald Maughan, a world expert on nutrition and exercise.

"There are opportunities for athletes to ingest fluids that will improve exercise performance," he said. "But they have to be prepared to work at it, in the same way they work at training."

Speaking at the first-ever international conference on nutrition and sport, sponsored by the University of Alberta, Maughan said there is a need to educate athletes about the best ways to absorb water and carbohydrates into their bodies, both before and during competition.

Dehydration is a problem for most athletes, which is made worse in even mild heat, he adds. "Already at 20 C, performance is significantly decreased."

Maughan said there is ample evidence that both fluids and carbohydrates allow athletes to perform at higher levels of intensity for longer periods of time. But individual needs of athletes vary greatly, increasing the need for a customized strategy.

While it's been known for about 100 years that carbohydrates help athletes perform their best, new research shows ingesting too much can actually impede absorption of fluids in the stomach. Drinks that contain more than even four per cent carbohydrate "slightly slows gastric emptying," saids Maughan. And when water isn't absorbed in the stomach, it can cause cramping. If an athlete is dehydrated and needs to absorb water fast, "a CHO (carbohydrate) drink can exacerbate the problem in the short term."

The fastest way to absorb water, he said, is through a 'dioralyte' solution, normally sold as a diarrhea treatment for children.

On the subject of nutritional supplements, Maughan said some products may provide a marginal advantage, but in his field there is a general rule of thumb: "If it works, it's probably banned, and if it's not banned, it probably doesn't work."

There is also growing interest in athletic performance and the production of seratonin in the brain, but not enough research has been done to provide conclusive evidence, he said.

Maughan, a professor of biomedical sciences from Aberdeen, Scotland, spoke Thursday at the First International Scientific Congress on Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Held at the Shaw Conference Centre and co-sponsored by the University of Alberta, the congress has attracted the world's leading scientists to share new research on how muscles make energy and nutrients fuel human health.

Related link – internal

The University of Alberta Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation Web site: http://www.per.ualberta.ca/

Related link- external

The First International Scientific Congress on Nutrition and Athletic Performance Web site: http://www.athleticsandnutrition.com  

A Little 

Watery Wisdom

Use water to cool your skin during competition.

Marathon runners cool their overheated bodies by splashing water on the head and other exposed body surfaces - and so should you, no matter what your sport.  This is especially important for athletes who are tall or broad (or fat) because the more body, the more surface that is exposed to the endurance-draining effects of heat, humidity, and direct sunlight.

From:

Eat To Win:

The Sports Nutrition Bible

by Dr. Robert Haas

New American Library, Signet Edition, N.Y., 1983, page 106.

Fluid Replacement:

You Are What You Drink

by Judy Hobbisiefken M.S.

When you consider that the human body is made up of nearly 65 percent water, it is easy to see why fluid replacement is so important! Dehydration upsets the natural balance of fluids in the body and can lead to serious problems, including difficulties associated with heart function and temperature-regulation.

Fluid replacement is as important for the average fitness enthusiast as it is for a well-trained athlete. With so much riding on balanced body fluids, researchers are always seeking the most effective way to keep our bodies well-hydrated and functioning at peak condition.

Dehydration Dangers

The average person loses approximately 2.5 percent of total body water per day. When you participate in events above and beyond normal activities of living, like exercise, sporting events, or yard work, the risk of dehydration is even greater. Any activity that causes you to sweat is depleting your body fluid levels. Strenuous activity will have an even greater effect and quickly dehydrate the system.

When you begin an activity, it is best if you are fully hydrated. Water is an excellent way to replace fluid everyday. If your activities increase and your fluid needs become more demanding, you may want to try one of the many fluid replacement drinks or "sports drinks" on the market. These drinks are specially formulated to replace the fluids and electrolytes you are losing through increased activity.

What Research Has Found
According to the Fluids 2000 report provided by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, an effective sports drink should have the following characteristics:

Proper Carbohydrate Levels
The ideal sports drink contains about 6% carbohydrate. This means that an 8oz drink should have about 14 grams of carbohydrate it in. Most sports drinks on the market today fall somewhere in a range between 6 to 9%. A drink with too much carbohydrate in it may actually reduce an individual's fluid intake.

Carbohydrate Blend
The most effective sports drink will contain a blend of sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Drinks with high fructose levels can cause gastrointestinal distress because they slow absorption. Blending all three carbohydrates generally prevents gastrointestinal (GI) problems and helps to stimulate fluid absorption.

Proper Sodium Levels
An 8oz sports drink should contain approximately 100-110mg of sodium. Sodium enhances taste which stimulates voluntary drinking - contributing to an increase in fluid balance. Sodium also contributes to improved absorption and maintenance of body fluids.

Good Taste
In order to encourage more fluid consumption, just the right amount of flavoring must be added. A light blend of sweetness (carbohydrate) and flavor with a touch of salt (sodium) seems to be the most effective combination. The sports drink should have a taste that is appealing when you are hot and thirsty - or you won't drink it.

No Caffeine or Carbonation
Neither of these substances is effective in fluid replacement drinks. Caffeine causes increased urine production and can lead to dehydration from fluid loss. Carbonation has tendency to cause GI distress, which can inhibit fluid absorption.

It is important to choose a good product to replenish lost fluids. These important factors will help make an educated choice when shopping for your sports drink. However, you can also use this information to create your own sports drink!

Making Your Own
Many people enjoy their own homemade versions of commercial sports drinks. The basic recipe is not complicated and homemade sports drinks can provide all of the same benefits when mixed properly.

Fruit juices can be diluted to obtain the 6-9% carbohydrate needed to be most effective. Research indicates that homemade drinks made with diluted fruit juice are similar in composition to scientifically formulated commercial sports drinks, but are lacking in sodium. This is easily remedied by adding a pinch of salt to your recipe. If you feel like whipping up a refreshing, thirst-quenching beverage give this recipe a try:

Basic Fluid Replacement Recipe
1-cup cold water
1-cup fruit juice (apple or orange)*
1 teaspoon sugar or honey
1 pinch of salt
Mix, chill, and enjoy!

*One cup of apple or orange juice has about 26-30 grams of carbohydrate. Keep in mind that not all fruit juices contain the same amount of carbohydrate, so read the labels when you want to try a new flavor. Just remember to keep the total carbohydrate level to about 14 grams per 8oz.

Whether you enjoy the convenience of a commercially prepared sports drink or take pleasure in making your own, just be sure to replace those fluids! Sixty-five percent of your body is depending on it.

Judy Hobbisiefken M.S.

Questions? Contact the author at: 

judy@issaonline.com 

or visit www.FitnessEducation.com

Judy Hobbisiefken, avid hockey player and fan, is director of Program Development and Technical Support for the International Sports Sciences Association in Santa Barbara, CA.

From:

http://www.protraineronline.com

/past/oct1/fluid.cfm