What is in a sports
drink:
Water + Carbohydrates +
Electrolytes
What is an electrolyte?
Electrolytes are dissolved
minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium that form a
salty soup in and around cells. Electrolytes carry electrical charges that
let them react with other minerals to relay nerve impulses, make muscles
contract or relax, and regulate the fluid balance inside and outside
cells. During a bike ride lasting an hour or longer, electrolytes can be
lost through sweat.
What does a Sport drink do?
a) Replaces water and
electrolytes lost through sweat
b) Supplies a small amount of carbohydrate to the working muscles.
Most drinks are formulated with
about six to eight percent of carbohydrate. The carb is either glucose, a
simple sugar; fructose, a fruit sugar; sucrose, ordinary table sugar (a
blend of glucose and fructose); maltodextrin, a complex carbohydrate
derived from corn, or a combination of these. The carbs in these drinks
decrease the use of muscle and liver glycogen stores. When we consume
these drinks we can bike for longer because the supplemental carbs have
spared us from utilizing all our stored glycogen.
Why do I get a tummy ache when I
drink certain sports drinks?
Check to see the
carbohydrate source in your sports drink. Many people have stomach
troubles if the main source of carbs is from fructose rather than glucose,
maltodextrins and sucrose. Fructose is absorbed more slowly in the small
intestine than other carbs and does not stimulate as much fluid
absorption.
You may also be getting a tummy
ache because you are drinking too strong a concentration of sports drink.
We recommend that you drink 1 bottle of water for each bottle of sports
drink. If you don’t like drinking water alone, try adding a little
powdered sports drink to your water so it has the taste you like.
Why shouldn’t I drink just
water?
While water is nature's
perfect fluid replacement, your needs when riding include more than just
water. You need to ensure an ideal balance of fluid, nutrients, and
electrolytes in every cell of your body. Water does not contain
electrolytes which need to be replaced during long rides. We loose
electrolytes through sweat and if we don’t replace them we can suffer
low blood sodium (hyponatremia). This can cause headaches, cramping, loss
of strength and nausea
How much should I be drinking?
We recommend that you
drink at least 1 large water bottle’s worth for every 15 miles ridden.
Of course this is also dependent upon the terrain. If you are doing 15
miles of hills you should be drinking even more – and maybe seeing a
shrink to deal with your superhero complex!
An easy way to make sure you drink
enough is to set the alarm on your sports watch to go off every 10 minutes
to remind you to take some good gulps.
Drink after the ride:
No matter how much fluid you ingest while riding, in hot weather you’ll
finish the ride depleted. There’s a simple way to be sure you’ve
re-hydrated after a ride - simply weigh yourself before and after, and
compare the figures. If you’ve lost weight, it’s water you’ve
sweated out, not fat. (Darn!) You’ll need to drink 20 ounces of fluid
for each pound of bodyweight you’ve lost while pedaling. Keep drinking
until your weight has returned to normal, and your urine is plentiful and
pale yellow in color. If you don’t drink enough you’ll notice that you
feel tired the rest of the day.
And the most important advice…
DRINK BEFORE YOUR
THIRSTY!!!!!!
If you
feel thirsty you are already dehydrated. |
