Must athletes consume sports drinks and energy drinks?
A nutritionist examines the pros and cons
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Hydration is key during physical activity, but one must be smart about it. |
Convenience stores are packed with sports drinks and energy drinks. But can we trust these drinks to provide us with “energy” when doing physical activity? “It’s not poison, but we can easily do without them,” explains Marielle Ledoux, Professor at the Department of Nutrition and a sports nutrition specialist.
There are two types of drinks: sports drinks and energy drinks. Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade are essentially composed of water, sugar, sodium, potassium, and artificial color. “The runner who has not eaten in several hours and is about to train intensely can benefit from the absorption of sugar and calories. Also, the sodium and potassium will compensate for the salt evacuated in sweat.”
However, Mrs. Ledoux is more critical of energy drinks such as Redbull and Guru, which are essentially made up of sugar and caffeine. “For instance, there is the equivalent of a half cup of regular coffee in a can of Redbull, and a full cup of coffee in a can of Rockstar. The caffeine can stimulate an athlete during an intense period of effort, but in large quantities it can have the reverse effect and provoke mental fatigue.”
In fact, Health Canada recommends a maximum of three cups of coffee per day. An individual could easily surpass that limit by ingesting large amounts of energy drinks. It is very important for certain athletes such as joggers to hydrate themselves adequately while training. But someone who is well fed and hydrated and about to play golf doesn’t have the same energy needs.
