Sports Drinks - Pros and Cons

    I remember when I was in sixth-grade (back in 1971), going to shoot baskets at my friend Andy's house. He was better than me, which wasn't saying much. But what impressed me most: he had a pair of Adidas sneakers, and sipped a Gatorade between games.
    That was the first exposure I had to either product, and yet it's etched in my memory, 45 years later. I felt if I just had a pair of Adidas, and a bottle of Gatorade, I could be a much better player! Despite later exposure to both, I never improved much in basketball.
    A recent syndicated article in the Washington Post entitled "Sports Drinks for Young Athletes: Fuel or Hype? looked into the content of sports drinks. Out of curiosity, I pulled out bottles of my two favorites, Gatorade and Vitamin Water, to examine the labels myself.
     My 16.9 oz. bottle of Gatorade had 120 calories, with 29 grams of sugar (at 4 calories per gram, essentially all the calories are from sugar). There was 230 mg. of sodium (10% of a recommended daily total) and 65 mg. of potassium (2% of daily value).
     The mix of carbohydrates (in the form of sugar) and salt is designed to replace electrolytes lost in strenuous exercise. And I have to say, there are times that I exercise intensely enough that Gatorade will replenish me in ways water does not. In a heavy bench press workout, for example, I feel more refreshed sipping Gatorade in-between each set than water. Years back, I worked as an Assistant Director of a day camp (10 hours in the sun), and double-shifted as an evening director at a "Y." I would be totally parched after a day at the camp, and would chug a 48 oz. Gatorade during my way down to the "Y." Nothing else would have done the trick.
    My 20 oz. bottle of Vitamin Water also has 120 calories, and no sodium. It has 100% value of five vitamins, including my essential,  Vitamin C. It also contains an impressive 880 mg. of potassium, 25% of a recommended daily value. There are 31 grams of sugar, which essentially fills all the calorie content. I like Vitamin Water to sip during a workout as well, but it personally doesn't replenish me quite as much as the Gatorade (maybe that's where the salt comes in!).
    The article cautioned against these drinks for kids, citing a quote from the American Academy of Pediatrics that said," routine ingestion of carbohydrate-containing sports drinks by children and adolescents should be avoided or restricted...Water, not sports drinks should be the principal source of hydration for children and adolescents."
    Part of the rationale is that kids and teens rarely lose enough electrolytes in their sports endeavors to require extra replenishment (see: my sixth-grade pick-up basketball games!). That point is well-taken. As a Fitness Trainer, I've worked with young people facing weight issues who came in with a bottle of  Gatorade or Powerade. I discouraged it, only because that was another 120 calories they would have to work off to match what they were ingesting during a workout. Most of the time they were incapable of working that hard - water would be fine!
  The article recommended water combined with a banana, orange, or clementine (perfect for after youth soccer games or road races!) The fruits have a higher amount of potassium, and various other vitamins and minerals. The natural sugars also enter the bloodstream at a steady rate, and will not spike blood sugar and insulin levels. Also, there's nothing added in them!
    The article urged parents to read labels when buying sports drinks, and stay away from any with artificial sweeteners.
     As a mature adult, I'll enjoy my Gatorade or Vitamin Water when my workout merits it, or when there are no healthy fruit alternatives available. Otherwise, I'll work on that gallon of water I lug around all day.