Sportsmen and sportswomen are always looking for ways to have an advantage over the competition. After all, their profession depends on it. The truth is that sportspersons must find a way to stay healthy. Proper hydration is one way to stay ahead of the pack.

Professional sportspersons have come to learn that steroids and other illegal substances, energy drinks and strength enhancers have no place in professional, school and recreational sports. Yielding to banned substances could ruin the lives of career athletes so they must consider the use of legal substances such as sports drinks.

Drinking liquids during endurance sports is necessary to replenish carbohydrate used by the body. Hydration prevents the athlete from becoming fatigued. Sports drinks are often used by athletes before, during and after competition to replenish their bodies of the nutrients lost in sweat. Sports drinks are designed to rehydrate and replace electrolytes (sodium levels), essential sugars and other nutrients needed for muscle repair for continued peak performance.

Dehydration

Athletes need to stay hydrated for optimal performance. Studies have found that a loss of two or more per cent of one's body weight due to sweating is linked to a drop in blood volume. When this occurs, the heart works harder to move blood through the bloodstream. This can also cause muscle cramp, dizziness, fatigue and even heatstroke.

Dehydration takes place when the body is short of water to facilitate normal body functioning. Water is lost in excess sweating. Sweating normally occurs to cool the body. When excess water is lost, dehydration sets in. The primary effects of dehydration are dizziness, shortness of breath and extreme fatigue. Hydration beverages like sports drinks are useful to prevent dehydration.

Sports drinks might contain sugars like glucose, fructose and sucrose and potassium salts and sodium. Sports drinks are filled with carbohydrates which help keep energy levels on top. There are three types of sports drinks, all of which contain various levels of fluid, electrolytes and carbohydrate.

Isotonic describes drinks which contain the same nutrient proportions that your body produces and requires, so they are safe to drink immediately following exercise to quickly replenish fluids lost by sweating, thus supplying carbohydrates. They contain fluid, electrolytes and six to eight per cent carbohydrates.

Isotonic drinks are the choice of most athletes - middle- and long-distance running or team sports. Glucose is the body's preferred source of energy. Therefore, it may be appropriate to consume isotonic drinks where the carbohydrate source is glucose.

Hypotonic drinks quickly replace fluids lost by sweating and are low in carbohydrates. They are suitable for athletes who need fluid, without the boost of carbohydrate, example jockeys and gymnasts.

Hypertonic drinks are used to supplement daily carbohydrate intake, normally after exercise to top up muscle glycogen stores. In long-distance events, high levels of energy are required and hypertonic drinks can be taken during exercise to meet the energy requirements. If used during exercise, hypertonic drinks need to be used in conjunction with isotonic drinks to replace fluids (www.brianmac.co.uk).

Sports drinks are not carbonated but they might come in a range of fruit flavours. They are more nutritious than energy drinks and are just as tasty. It is important to stay away from brands that contain high levels of sugar and salt. It means reading the nutritional labels on sports drinks containers to ensure you choose a sports drink low in sugar and sodium.

Mass marketing

Sports drinks are the subject of mass-marketing campaigns and several persons get hooked on their consumption even when it may not be of much help to you. For example, if you want to lose weight, sports drinks are not recommended because of their high carbohydrate content designed for an elite athlete who burns a lot of calories during exercise or performance. If you are not involved in strenuous work or exercise burning more than five hundred calories in an hour, it means that when you consume sports drinks your body will store those excess calories turning them into fat. Weight loss relies on burning more calories than you consume.

What drink is best for getting and staying hydrated during exercise? Should you choose water? Naturally, water is the best choice for hydration. Why? Water hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during exercise. Besides, it is less expensive and readily available than other drinks.

HOW MUCH WATER?

It is recommended that you drink four to six ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of exercise. You should learn to acquire the taste of water to allow you to drink enough until you are fully hydrated. It is preferable to drink water over other drinks. It is very important to replace lost salts and water when exercising. Whenever you exercise for more than an hour, think of drinking a salt-replacement sports drink in addition to water.

Sports Drinks

So you find water bland and difficult to drink in large volumes so you may resort to sports drinks. These do not hydrate as well as water but because of their flavour you are likely to drink larger volumes as the typical sweet-tart taste combination will not quench thirst but will eventually get you rehydrated. Sports drinks give a carbohydrate boost as well as replacing electrolytes lost in perspiration. Sports drinks are lower in calories compared to juice or soft drinks.

Fruit juice

Fruit juices are loaded with vitamins and minerals but they are not the best choice for hydrating the body. The sugar in fruit-based drinks reduces the rate of water absorption in the cells so rehydration and electrolyte replacement is slowed down. Fruit juice is not the best thirst quencher and it is difficult to drink sufficient quantities to keep hydrated.

Carbonated Soft Drinks

There is no reason why an athlete would rely on colas to rehydrate the body. Colas are not good for the body in any way.

Carbonated soft drinks are made from acids which carbonate and flavour these beverages. The acids are known to damage teeth and may even weaken bones. Soft drinks have no nutritional value although they have a great refreshing taste. However, the deleterious effect of soft drinks is that their high carbohydrate content will slow your absorption of water necessary after play or exercise. The speed of hydration is slowed if soft drinks have lots of sugar and caffeine. Soft drinks provide a quick boost in energy when it is needed.

If you are not involved in strenuous work or exercise, burning more than 500 calories in an hour, it means that when you consume sports drinks your body will store those excess calories, turning them into fat.