Sarah M's List: Sport Drink Benefits

• Electrolytes are naturally occurring ions that regulate the body's hydration and blood pH levels
• With severe loss of electrolytes, which can occur during strenuous physical activity, dehydration can occur and muscles can become weakened and are subject to major contractions.
• sports drinks also provide much-needed carbohydrates to athletes
• Rapidly absorbed carbohydrates consumed during exercise help athletes continue to perform at high levels
• most mainstream sports drinks are composed of between 4 and 8 percent carbohydrates
• Gatorade's Performance Series, checks in at 21.7 percent, but Reents advises it only be consumed after or well before competition because of its unusually high carb content
• Gatorade drinkers experienced less weight loss during exertion than water drinkers, and their heart rates increased less thank water drinkers as well.

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• Some say they’re too full of sugar to do any good while others claim they’re a good way to replace bodily fluids you lose while working ou
• sports drink usage varies for everyone
• Experts recommend drinking up to three cups of water for every pound of weight you lost while working out
• If you exercise for long periods of time, a sports drink is permissible in order to replace electrolytes and give you more energy
• You don’t need a sports drink to regain energy after a workout
• energy bars, contain just as many carbohydrates as sports drinks and can replace what your body lost without including sugar and caffeine at the same time
• If you opt for an energy or sports drink, you’re more likely to drink higher quantities of liquid and thus receive better hydration than if you were to go without completely.

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