Water vs Sports Drinks — What Athletes and the average person should choose.

4949287+_42353f6c72aa2afd5561bb6284f6dee3All of my life I have been drinking gatorade and water without really thinking about it. They both seem to give me the same satisfaction after a practice or workout, and while gatorade tastes better I am not sure which actually is better for my body and replenishment. We’ve all seen the commercials telling us whats what when it comes to sports drinks, but are they just sugar coating things or are sports drinks actually better for us after a workout? In this post I am going to look into that question and hopefully find a solidified answer.

After a long grueling run through the sweltering summer heat(2), your body is fatigued, your head is rushing, and you can feel your knees beginning to give out, but most of all you’re thirsty. As you venture back to your dorm, apartment, or house you decide to stop at Mclanahans to make a purchase from their vast selection of ice cold beverages and as you come upon the holy grail of refreshments in the aisle before you, you stop baffled at the decision you’re now facing; should I go with water, or a sports drink like gatorade. Before making any rushed decision or judgement one should consider the pros and cons of both options. Both may satisfy your need to be hydrated, but which is the best choice? The electrolyte filled sport drink or water?

Water is one of the most most natural supplements that earth has to offer us. Its essential to life and without water we would perish after 3 to 5 days(4). Water is our fuel. But water is just that, water. It provides rehydration but it doesn’t bring anything with it. On the other hand, gatorade or other sports drinks provide the same water with a punch of electrolytes that is supposed to provide our body with a little extra replenishment. With all that aside, should water be our first choice when purchasing a drink after a workout? According to Penn State University professor of physiology and kinesiology, W. Larry Kenney (3), Gatorade or Powerade would be a imgres-1better choice. Kenney states(1) that these sports drinks have extra ingredients that are not found in water that help the human body after a long workout or run. Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are additives that Kenney considers to be the most important with carbohydrates coming in at a close second. What are electrolytes? Well, electrolytes are important substances added to these sports drinks that help regulate the body’s hydration and nerve/muscle function. During a workout or run we sweat in order to regulate the body’s temperature. While this process of sweating keeps our body cool during said workout, it also causes the loss of body fluids. These sports drinks are designed to replenish the electrolytes we lose while sweating. In my opinion purchasing a sports drink after a workout is like purchasing the electrolytes you just lost during your workout.

treadmill-workoutsBased on critical thinking we learned in class the decision can be made much easier. Think about it like this. According to Kenney, these sports drinks are specifically made to replenish what we sweat out during workouts. Water on the other hand, while it is important, does not contain the special qualities that are put into sports drinks like gatorade. So if electrolytes lost during a workout can be replaced by a drink that also quenches your thirst why would you not choose this sports drink over water? Simply put, you would have to be crazy to choose water over gatorade after a long workout.

Personally I know next time I am choosing between water or a sports drink I am going to go with a sports drink that replenishes me with the essential body fluid I just lost. So now you tell me, would you choose water or a sports drink?

Sources:

1. http://news.psu.edu/story/141329/2007/05/07/research/probing-question-are-sports-drinks-better-water-athletes

2. http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/US/average-state-temperatures-in-summer.php

3. http://www.hhdev.psu.edu/directory/bio.aspx?id=297

4. http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/survival/wilderness/live-without-food-and-water2.htm

5. http://www.funnyjunk.com/Gatorade/funny-pictures/4949731/26

6. http://www.cardioworkoutsguides.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/treadmill-workouts.jpg

7. http://beginningnutrition.blogspot.com/2012/02/what-sports-drink-should-i-buy.html

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