The Science of Sports Drinks: Duration and Intensity Changes Everything!

Sports drinks, by definition, are designed to replace depleted electrolytes lost by sweating, maintain energy levels, and keep the body hydrated during high intensity exercise. Electrolytes consist of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium that help to regulate muscle contractions. A loss of electrolytes can result in symptoms such as muscle cramps, fatigue, and nausea. Electrolytes, however, are just part of the equation. Depending on the duration and/or intensity of exercise, sports drink formulas may include a blend of carbohydrates for more glycogen, a lactic acid buffer to offset fatigue, a boost of caffeine for extra energy and focus, and/or a protein source to eliminate the need for solid calories. The key is that not all exercise demands the same type of sport drink…duration and intensity changes everything and sports drinks should be formulated and chosen based on the need for quick energy and/or endurance.

In truth, most ready to drink sports drinks found in the grocery store are junk…packed with sugar and artificial colorings that can cause gastrointestinal distress. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients, you probably should not consume it. (i.e. acetate isobutyrate, acesulfame, and Yellow 6, found in Powerade).

When you eat a carbohydrate (fruits, vegetables & whole grains), your body converts the edible carbohydrate into stored sugar, referred to as glycogen. Muscle and liver glycogen are the body’s most important sources of energy during strenuous activity. If eating and hydrating properly, the average body stores between 60 to 90 minutes of glycogen, meaning that a sports drink high in calories and carbohydrates is not necessary for moderate exercise less than an hour.

A low-calorie option, Energy Fuel Light is specially formulated to emulate Coach Robb’s best-selling Energy Fuel with only 100 calories and 25 grams of easily digestible carbohydrates. This daily hydration formula can be consumed pre, during, and post exercise and is ideal for replenishing electrolytes and reducing muscle cramps and spasms.

Energy Fuel is a fuel and hydration mix for athletes training and racing mid distances of 1-3 hours. This easily digestible formula uses a combination of simple and complex carbohydrates which maintains proper blood sugar levels during training or racing for optimum performance.

As the exercise intensity goes up, the body’s sugar source needs to be easy to break down. Energy Fuel Boost is the perfect blend to give that extra boost needed for high-energy race efforts and/or high intensity training sessions under one hour. It has a similar profile to Energy Fuel with an added 100 mg of caffeine per 20 ounce serving. This is equivalent to 1-2 cups of strong coffee. When athletes consume caffeine, they feel less fatigue while performing at higher levels of work; an ideal scenario for shorter high intensity (less than 1 hour) race efforts.

As the exercise duration goes above two hours and intensity comes down, a more complex sugar source is needed with added protein to offset hunger. Energy Fuel Plus is an all-in-one nutrition source designed to keep you focused and on top of your game during long distance (3+ hours) endurance events such as GNCC racing and off-road Enduro racing. With extra calories, electrolytes, and Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs), this fuel and hydration mix is ideal for keeping sustained energy and power during longer efforts without the need for additional solid food calories.

As you can see, there is a lot more to formulating and choosing a sports drink than meets the eye. The science behind your sports drink is the difference between mediocre results and great race results!