Carbohydrate Content (%): There has been a lot of research that has looked at the amount of carbohydrates in a sports drink. It is myth that more is better. Beverages which contain 6% carbohydrates (14 oz sugar per 8 oz fluid) provide the optimum sweetening and allow the stomach to empty and deliver energy to the body. Beverages which contain more than this amount of carbohydrates have been shown to cause stomach upset, heart burn or decrease the rate of stomach emptying. Running or performing with a stomach which is full of sugar only promotes nausea or vomiting- not to mention poor performance.
Type of Carbohydrate: Many studies have also looked at the type of carbohydrate in a sports drink. Some beverages have a lot of sugars like sucrose and others have fructose. Both these sugars require an active transport mechanism to across the intestine. Drinks which are high in fructose generally cause stomach upset as they diminish the transit time and delay absorption. For most people who consume fructose based sports drinks, a bloated feeling is common.
Electrolytes: Almost all sports beverages have some sodium, chloride and potassium in the drinks. These electrolytes are essential for the absorption of nutrients, proper function of enzymes and nerve function. Sodium is always lost during exercise and thus is a requirement in all drinks.
Vitamins: There is no evidence that addition of vitamin to a sports beverage can increase exercise performance. Manufacturers of sports beverages always hype up their drink with mega doses of vitamins. Vitamins function on a delayed basis and have no acute effects. There is no vitamin that can work in 1 hour and build your body or improve your exercise performance.
Minerals: Many sports drinks have a range of minerals and elements. Having copper, zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, calcium is great but they in fact do very little in 1-2 hours of exercise. Does anyone out there believe that a tiny amount of calcium dissolved in a drink can make anyone run faster or jump higher?
Carbonation: Many sports drinks are also carbonated. A lot of research has shown that carbonated drinks lead to heart burn and stomach bloating. Collection of a carbonated drink in stomach and exercise simple do not go together. And at the end of the day, you will be passing a lot of gas and God help anyone sitting next to you.
Preservatives: Preservatives like sodium and potassium benzoate are commonly added to sports beverages. Excess use of these preservatives has been associated with gastric upset, worsening of peptic ulcer disease and throat burn.
Acidity: There have also been many studies on acidity of sports drinks. These studies have found that the higher the acidity of the beverage, the more damage it causes to the tooth enamel. Many athletes who consumed sports beverages for decades have been followed and have been found to have greater erosion of their teeth than those who consumed water.
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