Who Should Use A Sports Drink?

When you hear the term ‘sports drink’ what do you automatically think about? Many people instantly start thinking about a beverage that only athletes should be drinking.

After all, it would seem obvious that a ‘sports’ drink should only be consumed by those who are playing sports.

And while there’s no question that some athletes do need to be drinking sports drinks, these aren’t the only individuals who should be utilizing these beverages. Let’s look at the other people who would be best served by having sports drinks as well.

 

Those Doing Intense Aerobic Exercise

The first people to benefit from sports drinks are those who are engaging in intense aerobic exercise, or those who are doing endurance related aerobic training.

For instance, if you are training for a half marathon, a sports drink might be an excellent go-to during that run.

Likewise, if you are doing interval training for 45 minutes, you’ll likely want to quench your thirst with a sports drink as well.

Our sports drinks work perfectly in this situation because they’ll contain the important electrolytes that your body is losing when sweating heavily and needs in order to function optimally.

In both of the examples above, there’s a very good chance the athlete is sweating quite heavily and as such, will really benefit from that sports drink. 

 

Those Exercising In Hot Environments

Another group of individuals who should strongly consider utilizing a sports drink are those who are exercising in hot environment. These individuals again will be sweating more heavily than those who are exercising in a cool gym atmosphere, so will be more likely to lose important sodium and potassium in the process.

A sports drink will help to replenish those stores, ensuring they can keep up their energy level.

 

Those Performing Circuit Style Weight Training

Finally, the last group of people who should be considering a sports drink are those who are doing circuit style weight training. This form of workout is very much like an intense cardio interval session and as such, may deplete sodium and potassium, not to mention blood sugar quickly.

A good sports drink that contains all these important electrolytes will help to replace these, helping the exerciser keep up their energy while finishing off the workout session.

So there you have the main groups of people who would benefit from including a sports drink in their workout routine.  Remember that even weekend exercisers can be putting high demands on their body just like sports players are and as such, can benefit from using a proper sports drink.  If performance is a concern for you, it’s something you’ll want to strongly consider.

 

...and remember, qualified nutritionists at Healthy Being are available to offer further general advice to help guide you in selecting the right products. So please, feel free to contact us at anytime!

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Shannon Clark is a qualified nutritionist and a regular contributer to HB Insights. She specialises in weight control and management as well as optimal fitness performance. She's devoted to helping readers obtain their own personal best health and fitness and stays on top the latest trends in the industry.