My contention with sports drinks isn’t that they don’t have a purpose, it’s that they’re generally overconsumed and overhyped.  I can’t help but think that sales figures are sports drink manufacturers’ biggest concern, but Kevin Garnett’s bellow seems to scream otherwise.  What’s the reasoning behind the typical sugar, water, and electrolyte composition of these drinks?  When, if at all, does it become important to rehydrate with something other than water?  What, beyond the commercial viability of selling sugar water, are the real benefits to professional athletes and amateurs alike?

The Formula

Sports drinks are generally made of water, various simple sugars like glucose and fructose, and electrolyte-containing ingredients like salt, citric acid, sodium citrate, and potassium sulfate.  The theories behind the inclusion of these ingredients are seemingly straightforward.  Water is necessary for hydration and proper temperature regulation.  Sugar is a carbohydrate and is a quick source of energy.  Electrolytes are lost when you sweat and are integral for many bodily processes including maintaining proper fluid balance and nerve and muscle functioning.

Every Athlete is an Individual

Sweating is an important process for body temperature regulation.  Unfortunately, my body sucks at temperature regulation.  Post-run you’ll find me with a bright red face and just a little dew about my temples and in the middle of my back.  My husband, however, sweats so much it drips off of his bandanna.  We both just ran the same trail, the same distance, and at the same pace, but our bodies’ reactions are not the same.  Evidence shows that we all lose fluids (and with them electrolytes) at different rates during exercise and beyond that, even the composition of sweat differs from person to person.^{1, 10} These differences are determined due to environmental conditions, clothing choices, fitness level, diet, age, gender, and use of certain medications, among many other factors.² It seems logical to replace these lost electrolytes, but evidence shows that the body is generally able to cope with and adjust to these losses by relying on dietary stores.⁸

Fluid and Electrolyte Balance

Dehydration stresses your body and decreases athletic performance, so before beginning exercise of any intensity level, make sure you are hydrated.  Those who are faster, heavier, and in warmer environments generally need additional fluids over their smaller, slower counterparts who are in cooler climates.  Preceding your athletic endeavor, it is typically sufficient to eat regularly and drink water throughout the day.⁸ While exercising, it is ideal to drink fluids at a rate to keep weight loss under 2% of total body weight (weigh yourself pre- and post-exercise to determine your water loss). ^3,8 The amount of liquid necessary to stay within this range will vary depending on your personal rate of sweating.

While the effects of dehydration are clear-cut, the effects of exercise-induced electrolyte loss are a bit more convoluted. If you pay close attention to the claims sports drink manufacturers make as a means to sell their products, they avoid specifically mentioning the idea that replacing electrolytes will improve performance or even rehydrate you more quickly.  They simply point out the following facts: you lose electrolytes when you sweat, electrolytes are important for various bodily functions, and electrolytes (sodium in particular) stimulate thirst.¹¹

These are accurate statements, but the marketing implication seems to be that because of these things, replacing electrolytes has an actual impact on athletic performance.  The Institute of Medicine states that, “Because substantial quantities of sodium, chloride, and to a lesser extent, potassium are lost in the sweat during prolonged exertion, especially in the heat, many are concerned that this electrolyte loss should be replenished during exercise to maintain the appropriate distribution of electrolytes in the various fluid compartments of the body.  However, there is little direct evidence of a beneficial effect of electrolyte replacement for any but a small proportion of endurance athletes.³“  In other words, replacing electrolytes during a four-mile run probably isn’t going to make me any faster, better, or stronger.⁹ Also, you don’t need to rely on specially-formulated drinks to replace electrolytes. Electrolytes like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, are naturally found in many foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and sea salt.  In short-duration activities your body is able to draw on its own stores to balance itself.

Regardless of athletic impact, electrolyte inclusion has a definite positive aspect.  Research shows that small amounts of sodium chloride (salt), an electrolyte, increase the palatability of beverages.^{2, 3, 10} If enjoying drinking a beverage increases the amount a person drinks, then the inclusion of electrolytes might be an important factor for making sure you drink enough water to stay sufficiently hydrated during and after exercise.

While it’s highly important drink adequate fluids before and after exercise, you can actually drink too much water.  Normally the body adapts to increased water intake by increasing urine output.  This stabilizing effect is less efficient during exercise, however, so if you are sweating heavily for extended periods of time (such as marathons or ultra events) and drinking only water, it’s possible that you’ll end up with too much water in relationship to electrolytes, sodium in particular.  This is known as water intoxication or hyponatremia, and the result can be irregular heartbeat, swelling of tissues, and even coma or death.

Carbohydrate Content

It turns out that the part of sports drink I scoff at the most, the carbohydrate (sugar) content, has actually been shown to improve athletic performance and increase endurance when used after an extended duration of activity.^3,4 Specifically, research shows that using a carbohydrate-containing sports drink at least 30 minutes before you expect to be fatigued can delay the onset of fatigue.^3,8 It is important to note, however, that the body has adequate blood glucose and stored glucose (glycogen) to maintain energy for several hours of sustained athletic activity (generally believed to be about three hours).⁷ Ask yourself how often you exercise for several hours or more and what you’re trying to accomplish with exercise.  If you are of the camp that’s using physical activity to lose weight, you might want to reconsider adding calories that your body doesn’t really need.

Water vs. Electrolyte Drinks

Consider the following questions:  Are you hydrated before you start exercising?  How much do you sweat?  How long and at what intensity are you exercising?  Will you drink plain water or do you need to be enticed by something a little sweet and salty?

Short duration (less than 3 hours) and well hydrated?  Choose water.

Not much of a water drinker, exercising at high intensity (where you would benefit from an easily-digestible carbohydrate boost) or for three hours or more?  Try our sports drink recipes; they use antioxidant and nutrient-rich whole fruit, unprocessed sea salt (rich in electrolytes and trace minerals), and taste far less syrupy-sweet than commercially-available sports drinks.

Mango-Citrus Electrolyte Drink

• 32 oz water
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (try Bragg’s)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup mango, fresh or frozen

Mix all ingredients in blender.  Strain.  Chill until cool.

Nutrition breakdown:

calories: 110
carbohydrates: 29.4 g
sugar: 24.8 g
sodium: 608 mg
potassium: 286 mg
magnesium: 14 mg
calcium: 17 mg

Berry-Citrus Electrolyte Drink

• 32 oz water
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp raw apple cider vinegar (try Bragg’s)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup mixed berries (any combination of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries), fresh or frozen
• 1 Tbsp honey

Mix all ingredients in blender.  Strain.  Chill until cool.

Nutrition breakdown:

calories: 151
carbohydrates: 40.2 g
sugar: 32.5 g
sodium: 606 mg
potassium: 153 mg
magnesium: 8 mg
calcium: 10 mg

^{1 Kilding, AE, et al. (2009). Sweat rate and sweat electrolyte composition in international female soccer players during game specific training. Int J Sports Med 30(6) 443-7.
2 Sawka, MN, et al. (2010). Exercise and fluid replacement, from Medscape http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/717055_5
3 Marriott, BM (1994). Fluid replacement and heat stress. Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board, Committee on Military Nutrition Research.
4 Gisolfi, CV (1993). Use of electrolytes in fluid replacement solutions: What have we learned from intestinal absorption studies? University of Iowa, Iowa City.
5 Irving, RA (1991). Evaluation of renal function and fluid homeostasis during recovery from exercise-induced hyponatremia. Journal of Applied Physiology 70(1) 342-348.
6 Greenleaf, JE, et al. (1996). Mechanisms controlling fluid ingestion: thirst and drinking from Body fluid balance: exercise and sport.
7 Armstrong, LE, et al. (1999). Fluid-electrolyte balance during labor and exercise: concepts and misconceptions. Int J Sports Nutrition 9(1) 1-12.
8 Latzka, WA, et al. (1999). Water and electrolyte requirements for exercise. Clinical Sports Med 18(3) 513-24.
9 Coombes, JS, et al. (2000). The effectiveness of commercially available sports drinks. Sports Med 29(3) 181-209.
10 Maughan, RJ, et al. (1997). Recovery from prolonged exercise: restoration of water and electrolyte balance. J Sports Science 15(3) 297-303.
11 (26 Aug 2010). Gatorade website, frequently asked questions, science and nutrition http://www.gatorade.com/frequently_asked_questions/default.aspx}

Athletes require special support.  Overlooking the impact of your diet means injuries can occur more easily and will take longer to heal.  Using food to address tissue and joint wear and tear, vitamin and mineral loss, and free radical formation only adds to performance.  Rather than focusing solely on volume, get more out of food by choosing nutrient-dense options like eggs, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, bone broths, and coconut oil.  These choices alongside superfoods like nutritional yeast, spirulina, and goji berries, help meet your body’s higher needs for vitamins (for energy and to combat inflammation) and antioxidants (to repair the damage strenuous exercise can cause).  Healthy fats such as fish and flax oil are indispensable for lubricating joints and minimizing inflammation.  Magnesium-rich foods like almonds and avocados are necessary for their muscle contraction and relaxation properties, helping prevent distracting and painful charley horses.  Adequate amounts of B vitamins (removed when whole grains are processed into white bread, white flour, white rice, etc.) are imperative, as they are the first vitamins depleted when your body is under the physical and mental stress of training and racing.  Because athletes need many nutrients at higher-than-average levels, they simply may not be able to eat enough food to meet their body’s needs.  A B-vitamin complex, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and a mineral supplement can all be added to one’s routine- though they should not be used in place of a healthy diet.

Before and During a Race

Eating before and during an endurance competition is a challenge for many athletes.  A sandwich may be too heavy for one person and just right for another.  During training, find out what works for your body and stick with that on race day.  Miso soup or chicken broth will nourish your body with minerals and electrolytes.  A couple spoonfuls of coconut oil are easy to digest and provide a sustained energy source.  Berries, bananas, mangoes, or citrus fruits give you an energy spike without a subsequent energy crash.  During the race, a periodic snack on dried fruit may be just enough to boost you without making you feel heavy, or you may choose to rely on an energy gel like this one.

Post-Workout Recovery Food

Proper nutrition before, during, and after the race stocks your body with the nutrients it needs.  Immediately post-race an endurance athlete will need to replace lost fluids, minerals, vitamins, and sugars.  Water, an electrolyte drink (look for one that also contains B vitamins, vitamin C, and minerals, without excessive sugar or artificial colors), complex carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables), and healthy proteins and fats are nourishing choices to refuel and repair your body.

Origin’s Energy Gel Recipe

• 1 cup Brown Rice Syrup (try Lundberg’s Organic Sweet Dreams Brown Rice Syrup)
• 1/2 cup Barley Malt (try Eden’s Organic Barley Malt syrup)
• 1/4 cup Unrefined Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup Organic Creamy Peanut Butter, all natural variety (without hydrogenated oils or sugar added)
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup hot water

1. Use a make-shift double boiler by placing a glass jar inside a saucepan. Fill the saucepan with water so that the jar is a little more than half immersed.
2. Combine all ingredients except for the hot water into the jar. Turn heat to med-low and warm mixture, stirring frequently, until it is runny and well combined, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, then remove the jar from inside the saucepan. Add the hot water to the mixture in the jar, stir and shake vigorously until well combined and no separation occurs.  Let cool.
4. Fill gel containers as needed for workouts. Store extra gel in the jar with a lid in a cool, dry place.

Yields 18 fluid ounces

The gel will stay liquid enough to easily squirt from your tube-like container during workouts or races. In cold weather, the gel may become quite thick. Test it out, you may need to add a little more water for a thinner consistency in cold weather, or try storing it close to your body for heat during a workout.

Low-down on the Nutrition

One ounce of this gel contains 150 calories, 24 grams of carbohydrates, 1.8 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fat-  ratio of approximately 64% carbohydrates, 5% protein, and 30% fat. Mostly carbohydrates, but enough protein and fat to balance your blood sugar and keep it from spiking or dropping during a workout or race- which is crucial to maintain your energy!

Brown Rice and Barley Malt Syrups

The brown rice syrup, the main ingredient in the gel, is 46% complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides), 29% maltose (a disaccharide), and 25% glucose (a simple sugar). Brown rice syrup also provides .46 g of protein in 2 TBSP. The barley malt syrup is 76% maltose, 16% glucose, 6 % sucrose (a disaccharide), and 2% fructose (a simple sugar). Barley malt syrup also provides nearly 3 g of protein in 2 TBSP. Both of these syrups are slow and easy to digest and provide the body with an immediate burst of necessary energy (due to the simple sugars), and then lasting carbohydrates (the poly and disaccharides) to refuel your cells. These syrups are about half as sweet as sugar to the taste.

Unrefined Coconut Oil

I used coconut oil to run a marathon. Great stuff. I have a sensitive stomach when I workout, my body turns off digestion more than most. The morning of my big race, I ate two spoonfuls of coconut oil, a banana and miso soup. It was the perfect fuel for my marathon. Coconut oil belongs to a special class of fats called medium-chain fatty acids. These fats are not normally stored in your body as fat, but are instead quickly converted to energy. They also boost your metabolism. This makes unrefined coconut oil an excellent oil for weight loss and athletic performance, as it helps produce lean body mass.

Organic Peanut Butter

The Peanut butter provides valuable monounsaturated fats, protein, and flavor to the energy gel. Make sure to choose an all natural variety that only contains organic peanuts and salt. Avoid peanut butter with added sugar and hydrogenated oils (trans fat).

Sea Salt

Sea salt provides valuable minerals for electrolyte balance. A high quality sea salt is rich in potassium, magnesium, sodium chloride, and trace minerals.

To Better Rides

A balanced, nutritionally sound gel to keep you feeling strong and charged when it matters. I have been using this gel on mountain bike rides and love it.  It beats eating an energy bar that tends to sit in my stomach.  The inspiration for this gel recipe goes out to my brother Jarrett and husband Bryan, thanks for asking for it.