Physical activities and sports are indispensable when it comes to leading a healthy life. However, you need to understand that only intense workouts are not going to make the cut. You must have a complete knowledge of your body requirements and what should be avoided.
Sweating after a long duration of exercise or athletic practice strips you of natural electrolytes and water. Quenching your thirst with plain water can replenish lost water, but what about the essential electrolytes? This is why gym trainers and dietitians recommend indulging in sports drinks after workout sessions to refuel your body with everything that’s lost.
According to Nancy Clark, ‘For most of us, sports drinks are more of a convenience than necessity.’ She stated that the average person doesn’t work out enough to need rapid refueling through specific drinks. That is why it is necessary to know what sports drinks are out there and which ones should work the best for your workout routine.
Here, we have enlisted four types of sports drinks with their dedicated functions for you to make an informed decision.
Electrolyte Drinks
As the name presents itself, these drinks are spiked with electrolytes to make up for the lost amount during hardcore exercise, athletic exercise or more. Some of the commonly known names like Gatorade, Accelerade and Prime drinks fall under this type of sports drink.
Workout enthusiasts who want to improve their physical performance and stamina can go for the energy-specific wholesale Prime drinks shop to fill up their stash. Numerous studies have shown that these traditional sports drinks can lengthen the performance of individuals before they hit exhaustion point.
Electrolyte drinks support muscles with surplus energy, water and electrolytes to keep them from undergoing cramps or dehydration.
For heavy sweaters who lose electrolytes fast during intense workouts, drinks with high sodium and potassium content would be the best fit.
You need to be aware that some drinks are too high in sugar content that, is not as healthy and can cause stomach upset in many cases. Consider switching to a low-carb sports drink with sugar alternatives if you encounter a similar reaction.
Enhanced Waters
Enhanced waters are simply water containing some minerals, vitamins and other flavors to make the drink more appealing and palatable. Usually, top brands of enhanced waters fortify the drink with vitamins, minerals, natural or artificial flavors, sweeteners, botanicals and electrolytes (however, in lesser amounts than actual electrolyte drinks).
Enhanced waters like Hint Water, Group Danone, etc. boast a wide range of functional ingredients that instantly boost your body. Besides the hydrating factor, the specific advantages of enhanced water greatly vary depending on their formulation.
Enhances bottled water replenished hydration requirements while electrolyte replacement waters provide you with sodium, potassium and magnesium for a boosted muscle function.
Some categories also aid in weight loss since they are calorie-free and often come in flavors like green tea or caffeine to help enhance your metabolic rate and promote weight loss.
Chocolate Milks
Although chocolate milk doesn’t fall into the official category of sports drinks, many athletes love to indulge in it after intense workouts. Milk is the ultimate energy boost, especially low-fat milk flavored, and can be a game changer for after-workout restoration. The addition of chocolate flavor also adds to the benefits. Chocolate milk’s high carb and protein not only helps you to refuel and repair the muscles but also provides enough energy to keep yourself up and high.
As milk is a rich source of minerals, you can also restore the lost electrolytes like calcium, magnesium and potassium that boost your recovery. However, these types of drinks are usually for the after-workout since they don’t make the best cut for pre-exercise or exercise durations.
The best thing about this type of drink is its heavenly taste and rather inexpensive price tags. According to research, experts suggested that athletes who took milk instead of other sports drinks or plain water experience a faster recovery following an endurance event.
Final Thoughts!
Energy drinks vary greatly on how you plan to use them. Every brand presents its own motto, and you are free to choose the drink that is per your necessity. The key to selecting the best fit for you is to understand your body and discover if you are uncomfortable with any ingredients. Please go through the formulation of every drink and ask their function to make the best-fitted decision for your workout requirements and body needs.
