Sports Drinks

Commercial sports drinks solve the wrong problem for most people by replacing sodium while neglecting potassium and magnesium, which govern energy output. A high-potassium/magnesium electrolyte formula is not a sweat-replacement product but addresses the separate problem of chronic baseline deficiencies. Regular non-sport electrolyte powders are appropriate for daily maintenance but are not calibrated for the sodium losses of intense exercise. In the Nurses' Health Study 2, sports drinks produced more body fat gain than regular sodas among adolescents. Sports drinks likely cause more weight gain than sodas because they are sold in larger containers. Commercial sports drinks use maltodextrin and dextrose as synthetic sugar derivatives that act as cheap fillers and do not contribute to electrolyte balance. Sports drinks contain electrolytes but also significant added sugar that actively counteracts hydration. Most commercially available sports drinks provide insufficient sodium for exercise recovery and contain excessive amounts of sugar. Some electrolyte powder products contain up to 11 grams of sugar per serving. Most commercial electrolyte products use beet sugar from genetically…