Personal Fitness
Paul O'Brien
Today, a trip to the soft-drinks section of any local convenience store is not what it was 20 years ago. Now, amidst the bottles of still and sparkling water and fizzy soft drinks lie the products of the latest developments in sports hydration.
Sports drinks are now big business. Research-based TV ads fronted by big-name stars have catapulted names like ‘Gatorade’, ‘Lucozade Sport’ and ‘Powerade’ into the sporting and general psyche.
But is there a lot of truth to the claims made by the purveyors of these products? Do they really help sporting performance? And what about the place of water? Should I be drinking water or sports drinks? When should I be drinking them and how much should I consume?
Hydration and performance
Let’s start at the beginning. Why is hydration important during exercise? Dehydration is known to cause earlier onset of muscular fatigue, as well as affecting co-ordination skills. As little as a 2 per cent drop in body weight due to water loss can affect performance by between 15-20 per cent. If you’re in any way serious about your sport or exercise, this is a red-light statistic. In order to avoid dehydration, it is vital to consume plenty of fluids before, during and after all workouts.
The problem, though, is that most people are unaware of how much water they should be drinking, or how much fluid is lost during exercise. A good way to become aware of this is to weigh yourself before and after a workout. This will give an idea of how much fluid has been lost. Then, for every pound of body weight lost consume 2-3 cups of water to replace lost fluids.
Thirst last sign
Tracking hydration levels on an ongoing basis can be done by checking your urine colour. A dark, gold colour means you are dehydrated. A pale yellow colour or clear urine means you are pretty-well hydrated. However, be aware that if you drink a lot of coffee, your urine will appear pale or clear also. Caffeine is a diuretic, which can decrease blood volume and trigger dehydration. The key to proper ongoing hydration is to consume water regularly throughout the day, at least 3 litres of it if you are a regular exerciser. Do not use thirst as a benchmark for hydration levels as this is usually the last sign of dehydration and means your performance is already adversely affected.
Which to drink?
Sports drinks can, in my opinion, be helpful for rehydration, particularly when the duration of your exercise goes beyond 60 minutes. However, it’s important to know what you are drinking. The science behind the performance-enhancing properties of sports drinks points to the levels of carbohydrates and sodium as key factors. As these carbohydrates are in liquid form, they are directly absorbed into the bloodstream, thereby offering a quick release of energy. Some research shows that a carbohydrate concentration level of between 6-8 per cent and at least 100mg of sodium per 8fl oz is optimal for fluid replacement, rehydration and performance enhancement. However, some research also shows that when carbohydrate levels are above 10 per cent (such as in fruit juice or soda), they may contribute to cramps, nausea and impaired absorption. My advice? Consume plenty of water throughout the day and use sports drinks for longer-duration exercise. Oh and always, read the label…
Paul O’Brien is a certified personal trainer with the American Council on Exercise and a qualified life coach. He runs his own business in Westport and is the creator of Bootcamp West, an exciting and challenging exercise programme in Westport. For details of upcoming classes, visit www.bootcampwest.com or e-mail paul@bootcampwest.com or telephone 086 1674515.
