At the moment, the fitness craze has given birth to the sports drink craze. However, can you tell the difference between a sports drink and an energy drink? If you choose the wrong one, not only will it not be effective, but it will lead to negative results
According to the national standard, China defines sports drink as "a drink whose nutrients and their content can adapt to the physiological characteristics of people who exercise or do physical activity, can replenish water, electrolytes and energy to the body, and can be quickly absorbed".
It is well known that excessive perspiration during exercise causes the loss of electrolytes - mainly sodium, potassium and small amounts of magnesium and calcium, while the main electrolytes in sports drinks are sodium and potassium. According to the national standard for sports drinks in China, the sodium index in sports drinks is 50~1200 mg/L, and the potassium index is 50~250 mg/L.
Sports drinks and energy drinks are two different beverages, and in principle, they cannot be substituted for each other. Among them, sports drinks are mainly used to improve the sports performance of athletes, and replenish the fluids and electrolytes lost by sweating for the human body during and after exercise. It is understood that 1 liter of sweat generally contains 0.02 grams of calcium, 0.05 grams of magnesium, 1.15 grams of sodium, 0.23 grams of potassium, and 1.48 grams of chlorine. Of course, the composition of sweat will vary from person to person.
Unlike sports drinks, energy drinks are mainly designed to improve the body's energy, reduce fatigue, and improve concentration and concentration. Typical energy drinks typically contain stimulants such as caffeine, taurine, L-carnitine, creatine, guarana, ginseng extract, glucuronolactone, etc., and may also contain varying amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, sodium, and other minerals. Energy drinks can also improve a person's exercise performance, and drinking them before exercise can increase the maximum oxygen uptake and prolong the time of exhaustion.
In addition, muscle glycogen and liver glycogen are the main forms of glycogen stored in the human body, with about 90 grams of glycogen stored in the liver and 400 grams of glycogen in the muscles of a 70-kilogram man, and about 70 grams of glycogen stored in the liver and 300 grams of glycogen in the muscles of a 60-kilogram woman. During exercise, the rate of glycogen consumption is about 3~4 g/min. During intense exercise, glycogen is "depleted" in about 2 hours. At this time, if you can't replenish sugar in time, it will reduce the body's ability to exercise. After exercise, it takes about 24~48 hours for the body to recover glycogen. To improve athletes' performance, sports drinks typically contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.), and sometimes vitamins and other nutrients.
The sugar content in sports drinks is generally 2~19 grams/240 ml (bottle), the sugar content in functional drinks is generally 0~67 grams/240 ml (bottle), the energy of sports drinks is generally 10~70 calories, and the energy of functional drinks is generally 10~270 calories. Caffeine can improve exercise performance, the recommended dosage is 3~6 mg/kg body weight, and some athletes even use 13 mg/kg body weight/day. The caffeine content in some energy drinks can even reach a staggering 500 mg, a dose that can cause poisoning in children. For children and teenagers, it is necessary to drink sports drinks only when they are engaged in intense exercise for a long time, and it is best for children and teenagers to avoid energy drinks and caffeinated beverages.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that the amount of sugar supplementation during exercise is 30~60 mg/hour, which is equivalent to drinking 450~900 ml of sports drink per hour. Some sports drinks that improve human endurance have 50% more electrolytes (0.19 g/240 ml sodium) and 25 % more sugar (17 g/240 ml) than traditional sports drinks.
Citric acid is commonly found in sports drinks, and all acids have a potential corrosive effect on teeth. Irrational drinking methods have different effects on teeth. If you let the drink stay in your mouth for a long time, or even "rinse your mouth" when drinking, the erosion effect will definitely be much more powerful than drinking it quickly. Also, it is better to freeze the drink in the refrigerator before drinking it, as the low temperature will reduce the dissociation of the acid. In addition, certain sports drinks containing stimulants can be "addictive" and care should be taken to reduce their use.