Gatorade and Exercise

Water is the most essential ingredient to a healthy life and it is especially important to be properly hydrated during exercise. If your body has a water deficit, you will feel it first in the places that have the highest water content, e.g., the blood, brain, muscle and skin. The consequences of not consuming enough fluids during exercise include a drop in blood volume. This will cause your heart to work harder to move blood through the bloodstream and the result could be muscle cramps, dizziness, fatigue and possibly heat exhaustion or heat stroke. It goes without saying that exercise performance will be compromised. Therefore, the longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right amount and the right kinds of fluids.

The American College of Sports Medicine has published some specific recommendations concerning fluid replacement before, during and after exercise performance. First of all, an individual should consume a nutritionally balanced diet and drink adequate fluids during the 24 hour period before an event. About two hours before exercise or athletic competition, you should drink 15 to 20 oz. of fluid. The fluid should be cooler than ambient temperature and have

some flavor to enhance palatability and promote fluid replacement. During exercise, drink fluids at regular intervals so that you replace all water lost through sweating. Consume about 8 to 10 oz every 10 to 15 minutes. If exercise or competition lasts less than one hour, it is no more beneficial to consume a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink (like Gatorade) than plain water. However, if exercise lasts more than one hour, addition of proper amounts of carbohydrates and/or electrolytes is recommended. During intense exercise lasting longer than one hour, you should drink something like Gatorade every 15 to 30 minutes. Drinking 8 – 10 oz containing 4% to 8% carbohydrates is recommended.

To find the correct balance of fluids for exercise and to monitor adequate fluid intake, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that individual factors be taken into account. Because there is a wide variety in sweat rates, losses and hydration levels of individuals, it is almost impossible to provide specific recommendations on the type and amount of fluid every athlete should consume. Generally, athletes should consider the length and intensity of their exercise. Remember that water is sufficient to maintain hydration if you exercise for less than one hour. You can estimate whether you are adequately hydrated by monitoring your urine volume output and color. A large amount of light colored, diluted urine probably means you are hydrated; dark colored, concentrated urine probably means you are dehydrated. You should weigh yourself both before and after exercise. After you exercise, you should drink 20 to 24 fl. oz of water for every pound lost. A ratio of 4:1 of carbohydrates to protein should be consumed within two hours to replenish glycogen stores. By following these guidelines, you can be assured that your performance will not be jeopardized by dehydration.