Serious athletes and amateurs alike know the importance of maintaining hydration during exercise. But you may
be surprised to learn that you’re actually better off leaving the water bottle behind… and bringing along a sports
drink instead.
Recent studies in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggest just that: Sports drinks offer the benefits of improved performance and longer-lasting hydration – and water just can’t compete.
Authors of both studies actually set out to explore potential advantages of protein-enriched sports drinks: One study involved protein and performance; the other involved protein and hydration. While the studies maintained different focuses, both found that sports drinks (protein-enriched or not) almost always outdo water.
The first study, conducted by the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, investigated protein’s impact on performance when added to a sports drink. Study participants either consumed a typical carbohydrate sports drink, a protein-enriched carbohydrate sports drink or a placebo (flavored water) before engaging in a time-trial cycling test – a simulated athletic competition.
It concluded that while protein may help with muscle recovery, adding the nutrient to the sports drink provided no additional performance benefit. However, participants who had consumed any sports drink at all did perform significantly better than those who were given the placebo: Nine out of 10 subjects posted faster times when they had consumed a sports drink rather than water.
The second study, conducted by the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Saint Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, Minn., aimed to discover whether adding protein to a carbohydrate-based sports drink would affect fluid retention. Like the first study, participants either consumed a carbohydrate sports drink, a protein-enriched carbohydrate sports drink or water.
In this case, protein added to the sports drink was found to be beneficial: Cyclists who had consumed protein-enriched sports drinks retained 15 percent more fluid than those who consumed a regular sports drink and 40 percent more fluid than those who had drank water. Notably, sports-drink consuming cyclists retained considerably more fluid than the water-drinking cyclists.
Regarding protein, many studies confirm its muscle-repairing benefits, but additional research remains to be conducted as to whether it affects performance. But when it comes to choosing a sports drink or filling up that water bottle… go with the sports drink, experts say.
Recent studies in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise and the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggest just that: Sports drinks offer the benefits of improved performance and longer-lasting hydration – and water just can’t compete.
Authors of both studies actually set out to explore potential advantages of protein-enriched sports drinks: One study involved protein and performance; the other involved protein and hydration. While the studies maintained different focuses, both found that sports drinks (protein-enriched or not) almost always outdo water.
The first study, conducted by the Exercise Metabolism Research Group at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, investigated protein’s impact on performance when added to a sports drink. Study participants either consumed a typical carbohydrate sports drink, a protein-enriched carbohydrate sports drink or a placebo (flavored water) before engaging in a time-trial cycling test – a simulated athletic competition.
It concluded that while protein may help with muscle recovery, adding the nutrient to the sports drink provided no additional performance benefit. However, participants who had consumed any sports drink at all did perform significantly better than those who were given the placebo: Nine out of 10 subjects posted faster times when they had consumed a sports drink rather than water.
The second study, conducted by the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science at Saint Cloud State University in Saint Cloud, Minn., aimed to discover whether adding protein to a carbohydrate-based sports drink would affect fluid retention. Like the first study, participants either consumed a carbohydrate sports drink, a protein-enriched carbohydrate sports drink or water.
In this case, protein added to the sports drink was found to be beneficial: Cyclists who had consumed protein-enriched sports drinks retained 15 percent more fluid than those who consumed a regular sports drink and 40 percent more fluid than those who had drank water. Notably, sports-drink consuming cyclists retained considerably more fluid than the water-drinking cyclists.
Regarding protein, many studies confirm its muscle-repairing benefits, but additional research remains to be conducted as to whether it affects performance. But when it comes to choosing a sports drink or filling up that water bottle… go with the sports drink, experts say.