Sports Drinks

In the coming weeks I will be writing more on sports drinks. Sports drinks have been around for a long time and research has consistently found sports drinks to be effective in extending and enhancing endurance performance. However, over the past few years several studies have furthered our knowledge on sports drinks and not all sports drinks are the same.


For example, up until recently, it was known that our muscles can oxidise 30-60 g of carbohydrate per hour. However, we now have data that shows that if you add different types of carbohydrate (i.e. glucose and fructose) to a drink the body can oxidise up to 90 g per hour and in some studies even higher values have been reported (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15946410). I'll write more about this in a future post.

Although this evidence has been around for some time now, certain sports nutrition companies are yet to update their products. For example, Lucozade still don't add any fructose to their isotonic sports drinks! For now have a look at how to use some of the commercially available drinks in the UK:

Sports Drink	Description	Ingredients	Nutrition Information per 100 mL		How to Use it appropriately
Lucozade Sport Body Fuel	Isotonic carbohydrate drink	Water, Carbohydrate Blend (Glucose Syrup, Maltodextrin), Citric Acid, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Preservatives (Potassium Sorbate), Stabiliser (Acacia Gum), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Flavouring, Vitamins (Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, B12), Colour (Beta-Carotene)	kcal	28	This drink can be used during exercise lasting longer than 60 min as it provides carbohydrate. It can also be consumed 30-60 min before exercise or immediately after exercise to help restore glycogen and replace fluids 500 mL every 40-60 min is advised
			Carbohydrate (g)	6.4
			Protein (g)	Trace
			Fat (g)	nil
			Sodium (mg)	50
			Niacin  (mg)	0.61
			Vit B6 (mg)	0.007
			Vit B12 (µg)	0.03
			Pantothenic Acid (mg)	0.2
			Potassium (mg)	9
Lucozade Sport Lite	Hypotonic Electrolyte Drink	Water, Glucose Syrup, Citric Acid, Acidity Regulators (Sodium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate), Flavouring, Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Stabliliser (Acacia Gum), Vitamins (Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, B12)	kcal	10	This drink should be used when exercising for short durations (< 60 min) in the heat and humidity. It is designed to replace salts lost through sweating. 500 mL every 40-60 min is advised
			Carbohydrate (g)	2
			Protein (g)	Trace
			Fat (g)	Nil
			Sodium (mg)	38
			Niacin  (mg)	0.61
			Vit B6 (mg)	0.07
			Vit B12 (µg)	0.03
			Pantothenic Acid (mg)	0.31
			Calcium (mg)	42
Lucozade Sport Fuel & Focus	Isotonic carbohydrate drink with caffeine	Water, Carbohydrate Blend (Glucose Syrup, Maltodextrin), Citric Acid, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate), Stabilisers (Acacia Gum, Glycerol Esters of Wood Rosins), Sweeteners (Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Caffeine (0.016%), Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid), Flavourings, Vitamins (Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, B6, B12)	kcal	28	This drink contains caffeine and is designed to consume 30-45 min before or during exercise. It can be consumed at half-time for team sports or during exercise where improvements in endurance and concentration are required. 500 mL every 40-60 min is advised
			Carbohydrate	6.4
			Protein	Trace
			Fat	nil
			Sodium	50
			Niacin	0.61
			Vit B6	0.007
			Vit B12	0.03
			Pantothenic Acid	0.2
			Potassium (mg)	9
			Caffeine (mg)	16
Powerbar Energize C2Max	Isotonic carbohydrate drink with multiple transportable carbohydrates	Maltodextrin, dextrose, fructose, acidulants (citric acid, tartaric acid), flavourings, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, potassium chloride, colouring anthocyanins, L-glutamine, vitamins (C, E, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, B1), magnesium carbonate, L-leucine, anti-caking agent: silicon dioxide, L-valine, L-isoleucine. Traces: Eggs, soya, nuts, milk, gluten, celery	kcal	27	This drink is designed to consume during prolonged exercise lasting > 90 minutes. Research has found that more carbohydrate can be absorbed when glucose and fructose are combined. This drink is ideal for sports that are long in duration (i.e. endurance swimming, running, cycling)
			Carbohydrate	6.6
			Protein	0.04
			Fat	trace
			Sodium	0.32
Lucozade Sport Recovery	Carbohydrate-Protein recovery Drink	Sugar (65%), Whey Protein Isolate (from Milk) (30%), Citric Acid, Flavourings, Anti-caking Agent (Tri-calcium Phosphate), Soya Lecithin, Colour (Beta-carotene)	kcal	59	This drink should be consumed within 20 min of finishing training. This drink is ideal after training, particularly if you have short time gaps between sessions or if you have no access to food after training. A 500 mL serving should be consumed.
			Carbohydrate	10.2
			Protein	4.1
			Fat	nil
			Sodium	trace
Lucozade Sport Hydro Active Plus	Hypotonic Carbohydrate Drink with High Sodium Content	Sugar, Citric Acid, Acidity Regulator (Sodium Citrate), Flavouring, Anti-caking Agent (Tri-calcium Phosphate), Colour (Beta-carotene)	kcal	18	This drink should be consumed during and/or after exercise in hot/humid environments. Typically, 500 mL every 30 min should be consumed in hot environments. This drink contains a higher sodium concentration to replace increased salt losses through sweat.
			Carbohydrate (g)	4
			Protein (g)	Trace
			Fat (g)	Nil
			Fibre (g)	Nil
			Sodium (mg)	91