Woot Woot for Electrolytes

It has been 50 years since the sports drink was introduced to athletes in the United States. The first sports drink, Bengal Punch, was given to athletes at Louisiana State University in 1958. Gatorade, the most recognizable name in sports drinks, debuted the following decade at the University of Florida and revolutionized the way athletes energize and re-hydrate themselves during a sporting event.

Since then, other sports drinks similar to Gatorade have been introduced to the market, including Glaceau Vitamin Water and Vitalyte. These drinks are incredibly popular with adult and teen athletes, as well as beverage consumers in general.

The main ingredients that sports drinks contain which enhance athletic performance are electrolytes, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Athletes can gain many benefits from sports drinks while they are physically active. Among the most important of these aspects are:

Replenishment of Electrolytes

Electrolytes are salts that are naturally part of body fluids. When an athlete (or a gardener or a mail carrier or anyone else who engages in physical activity) sweats, electrolytes are lost through the sweat. If electrolytes are lost too quickly, the body does not have the ability to restore them as rapidly as they were lost. Sports drinks contain electrolytes such as chloride, sodium, and potassium to help replenish what was lost through sweat. Introducing electrolytes back into the body helps keep dehydration from occurring. Dehydration can become a very serious problem if not attended to. Electrolytes help to increase the absorption of fluids into the bloodstream.

A person who is exerting energy can quickly become dehydrated, in as little as 30 minutes. Therefore, it is suggested that athletes begin drinking a sports drink even before they start their activity.

Replenishment of Energy

Anyone who has ever exercised knows that fatigue can occur quickly. One of the reasons for this is that exercise increases metabolism, and when a person's metabolism is working overtime, it breaks down carbohydrates quickly. Carbohydrates are one of the main sources of energy for the body.

By replacing lost carbohydrates, the body can continue to work efficiently and an athlete has more energy to complete their activity.

Replacement of Lost Vitamins and Minerals

The human body also draws energy from various vitamins and minerals only found in certain foods, beverages or supplements. Sports drinks contain these vitamins and minerals to help keep the body working efficiently during activity.