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Face-Off: Water vs. Sports Drinks

There’s a major brouhaha going on in sports circles, gyms, athletic trainers’ offices and locker rooms. It centers around what’s better for you after a 5K run, work out, sports game or practice – plain old reliable H2O or one of the many sports drinks available on the market.

And the winner is…

It depends. Don’t you just love that answer! But it’s true and here’s why.

Water makes up about 60-70% of the human body and it is the most essential ingredient for a full healthy life. Because you lose a significant portion of that water by sweating, it is important for athletes and exercisers to rehydrate by drinking the proper amount and the right kinds of fluids. When they don’t, performance decreases, muscles become fatigued, dizziness occurs and, depending on the temperature, heat stroke or heat exhaustion may result.

Because of significant differences in sweat rates and fluid losses, recommendations as to the amounts and types of fluids vary. The length and intensity of the workout also come into play.

According to many athletic and personal trainers, as well as the Institute of Medicine (an independent, not-for-profit health advisor), good, old fashioned, nature’s own H2O is usually the best option, unless you’re a marathon runner or you exercise for very long time periods.

Sports drinks in bright colors and matching bottles appeared on shelves in the 1960’s with clever marketers making claims that you lose certain amounts of sodium, electrolytes and water during exercise and they need to be replenished. Well, for the record, water was the original “sports drink” of cave dwellers who did far more exercise than we do today! When was the last time you went out hunting for dinner and dragged home a beast to eat?

Unfortunately, our palettes have become far too sophisticated for the blandness of water, so, we opt for high-priced sports drinks that come packed with more calories than most people burn in a typical workout! Not to mention the unnecessary sugar and needless caffeine!

So, unless you’re a triathlon or Iron Man athlete – it’s best to stick with water, nature’s own sports drink. And…no need to purchase fancy bottled water, especially in these economic times. There's always tap water.

As to the question of chilled or room temperature? The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that water be chilled when used for exercise because it is absorbed more quickly. Oh, and while you’re at it – feel free to add a lemon if you have a more sophisticated palette!