Especially on hot humid days – very common in Hong Kong, increasingly in winter too – it’s tough spending time outdoors doing little, let alone batting, bowling and fielding.
Of course, people sweat to try and cool down; but along with this, there’s a need to drink more than simply water.
Gatorade originated with efforts to invigorate athletes
Evidence supporting hydration drinks being better than water includes the origins of Gatorade, which stems from efforts to help American football players at the University of Florida:
As they researched the effects of heat on the human body, Cade and his colleagues began to realize that all that sweat was taking with it the players’ energy, strength and endurance. The researchers speculated that the electrolytes — primarily sodium and potassium — the players were losing in their sweat were upsetting the body’s delicate chemical balance.
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The results were eye-opening. The players’ electrolytes were completely out of balance, their blood sugar was low and their total blood volume was low. The impact on the body of this upheaval in chemistry was profound.“Each of these conditions, by itself, would to some extent incapacitate a player,” Cade says in his oral history. “Put them all together and you can have real problems.”
With hard data in hand, Cade’s team began pursuing a remedy to address all these issues.
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Gatorade: The idea that launched an industry
Cade’s team continued to tinker with their concoction and by the beginning of the 1966 season Gatorade, as it was now called, had become a staple on the Gators’ sideline. After the first scrimmage that August, seven Gator players were brought to the Shands Hospital emergency room with heat-related illnesses. The next day, 17 players went to the hospital and eight were admitted. Deeply concerned, Graves asked Cade for enough Gatorade to keep all players supplied during both practice and games. Over the next five years, only one player had to be hospitalized for treatment of a heat-related illness. Turns out, he had not drunk any Gatorade.
Pocari
Of course, Gatorade isn’t the only hydration drink on the market; Pocari [Sweat] abounds in Hong Kong. For Pocari, too, there is reportedly science behind the formula:
Pocari Sweat’s proven formula is engineered with a perfect blend of electrolytes, water, and carbohydrates which closely match the makeup of sweat, helping you to replace what you lose with a delicious and refreshing drink! What’s more, our tasty restoration drink is scientifically proven to restore and extend your hydration level. Our clinical trials show that even two hours after drinking Pocari Sweat, your body retains 57% of fluids, this compares to just 38% when drinking water – it truly is hydration you can feel!
Pocari: The Science
Lucozade Sport
Also in Hong Kong, it’s pretty easy to find Lucozade Sport. Unsurprisingly, the manufacturer also tells us there’s science supporting the formula:
This sports drink has been proven to hydrate better than water. Its fast hydration lies in its specially designed carbohydrate-electrolyte solution that enhances rehydration during and after exercise. The formula is also in balance with our body fluids, making absorption easier. Not just hydration, it also restores and replenishes the electrolytes that were lost as a result of sweating.
Lucozade
Research not conclusive regarding sports performance and carbohydrate drinks
A 2012 study reviewed research regarding carbohydrate drinks – chiefly Lucozade – and sports performance:
As it turns out, if you apply evidence based methods, 40 years of sports drinks research does not seemingly add up to much, particularly when applying the results to the general public.
…Fluid replacement with dilute carbohydrate drink (2%) was found to be beneficial when exercising in heat (ambient temperature 30.2oC) compared with a 15% carbohydrate electrolyte drink, which was no better than no drink at all.
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we conclude that over prolonged periods carbohydrate ingestion can improve exercise performance, but consuming large amounts is not a good strategy particularly at low and moderate exercise intensities and in exercise lasting less than 90 minutes.
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Through our analysis of the current sports performance research, we have come to one conclusion: people should develop their own strategies for carbohydrate intake largely by trial and error.
Forty years of sports performance research and little insight gained
Sodium intake important but amounts required vary between individuals
As I’ve found myself prone to cramps if I don’t have enough salt [sodium chloride], I’m especially interest in the relationship between salt and exercise. Decades ago, I heard a doctor on the radio saying that when you exercise, sweat and hydrate with only water it isn’t good as electrolytes like sodium aren’t replaced, and are even further diluted. Led me to try drinking water with added salt, and/or sports drinks, which has helped me greatly reduce cramping.
There’s some research to substantiate this, such as:
Overall, the study findings showed that beverages with higher sodium and lower cholesterol content promoted better rehydration completeness. The ORS [oral rehydration solutions] and sports drinks rehydrated the athletes to a greater extent than the placebo. The ORS was 32% more effective than the water placebo, indicating that carbohydrates may offset the effects of lower sodium content. The ORS also promoted a more rapid recovery, as rapidly absorbed beverages with sodium and glucose osmolytes kept plasma osmolality higher and reduced urine excretion.
Optimal hydration post-exercise: Study compares sodium and carbohydrate levels in sports drinks for effective rehydration
However, this does not mean there should be a “one size fits all” approach. Rather as with carbohydrates mentioned above, individual needs vary, as shown by the following study:
this investigation showed that a hydration plan based on an individual’s sweat rate and sodium loss has the potential to markedly improve athletic performance for collegiate athletes engaging in seasonal sports. The understanding that athletes sweat and lose electrolytes at a variety of different rates is something that professionals in the exercise science and sport nutrition fields need to be aware of in terms of optimizing their athletes’ health, safety and performance.
Individualized hydration plans improve performance outcomes for collegiate athletes engaging in in-season training
Caffeinated Energy Drinks May Damage Heart; Coffee is Better
Energy drinks are growing in popularity as an alternative pick-me-up to coffee, but are they safe for your heart?
Not when consumed frequently or in large quantities, says cardiac electrophysiologist Mehmet Aktas of University of Rochester Medicine. The high caffeine and sugar content in most energy drinks can have extreme effects on the body.
According to Aktas, “Caffeine stimulates the body and leads to the release of adrenaline, which can lead to palpitations, high blood pressure, and sleep disturbances.”
The high sugar content can also contribute to weight gain, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular issues over time.
Energy drinks may be damaging your heart