It might sound crazy, but for competitive athletes and exercise enthusiasts alike, choosing the best sports drink is a lot more confusing that just grabbing a Gatorade. With lengthy ingredient lists, conflicting recommendations, and so many products on the market, it can be nearly impossible to figure out which to choose. Here’s a breakdown of what goes into these beverages, and how to choose the right sports drink for your fitness needs.

What Is a Sports Drink?

Sports drinks are most often used for (wait for it), sports. They are designed to help replenish what’s lost during physical activity, which is most often fluid, electrolytes, and calories. The most common electrolytes found in sports drinks include sodium, chloride, and potassium (which are lost in sweat). The body also loses magnesium, calcium, and iron, but in smaller amounts.

Sports drinks are designed for active individuals and those that have the need to replace sweat losses. This is most often folks who exercise strenuously, but can also include those working in hot and humid environmental conditions. The first commercial sports drink, Gatorade, was created in the 1960s to help hydrate the Florida Gators football team. Since this invention, there has been an endless parade of bottles and powders all claiming to be the optimal hydration beverage for exercise.

Are Sports Drinks Healthy?

Most sports drinks provide some combination of fluid and electrolytes, and some add calories from sugar, but they are not one size fits all. The healthiest way to choose a sports drink is to evaluate your exercise routine by determining how much and how often you sweat.

The carbs found in a sports drink, such as sugar, can help facilitate the absorption of sodium, which is a good thing for sweat replenishment. However, if you're consuming a sports drink alongside a meal or snack that has its fair share of carbs (think: fruit, bread, rice, etc.), you should pass on the added sugar. If you are using a sports drink during a longer duration activity, one with sugar can be helpful, providing some easy-to-digest calories as well as allowing for optimal sodium uptake.

Fluid Needs for Exercise

Active individuals have an increased demand for fluids and more than 50% of athletes arrive at workouts under-hydrated. Signs and symptoms of inadequate hydration during exercise includes fatigue, dizziness, nausea, cramping, and poor performance. Prolonged and severely improper hydration can also increase the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat illnesses, like these, can be very dangerous and proper hydration practices can significantly reduce the risk. Recommendations from experts, including the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the American Sports and Performance Dietitians Association, suggest the following:

• Prioritize hydration 24-hours a day by carrying drinks at all times, sipping throughout the day, and eating plenty of high-water content foods like fruits, vegetables, soups, and smoothies.
• Before Exercise: Drink 16-20 fluid ounces of water or sports drinks 4 hours before and another 8-12 fluid ounces of water 10 to 15 minutes prior to exercise.
• During Exercise: For activity lasting more than 60 minutes or in hot and humid conditions, drink 3 to 8 fluid ounces of a sports drink every 15 to 20 minutes. For shorter workouts, water may be adequate.
• After Exercise: Rehydrate with 16 to 24 fluid ounces of liquids for every pound of water lost during activity. A combination of sports drinks and protein-rich foods or beverages is a great choice for this recovery.

Important Ingredients in Sport Drinks

Now, let’s break down sports drink ingredients and explain which are most important:

Sugar

Sugar is easily digestible fuel. Sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade or a powdered version like Drip Drop contain sugar for an important reason: to provide energy needed to sustain performance during long duration activity. Therefore, reach for calorie-containing sports drinks before and during activity. As mentioned above, if you are eating carbs and calories from other sources, consider opting for calorie-free sports drinks that only provide fluid and electrolytes. These types of "zero" and "diet" sports drinks use artificial sweeteners for flavor, and some can cause stomach upset, so be mindful and switch to another product, if needed.

Salt

Some people lose more sodium in their sweat than others, and it’s not always the person with the highest sweat rate that loses the most. If you are experiencing fatigue during workouts, even when you have eaten and/or are prone to cramping, consider a sports drink with extra sodium such as Pedialyte Sport or Gatorlyte Rapid Hydration.

Potassium

The second most plentiful electrolyte lost in sweat is potassium and often, if you can rule out water and sodium as the culprit to hydration issues, potassium should be your focus. Since many sports drinks don’t offer a plentiful amount of potassium, look for those made with coconut water as base, since it is an excellent source of potassium, like Body Armor products.

What About Water?

The body needs daily intake of water for a variety of physical processes including digestion, temperature regulation, pH balance, immune function, muscle health, and circulation. The kidneys and other organs help regulate body water that comes in and out. When additional water is lost from sweat, there is an increased demand to replace it. Without accounting for exercise to help maintain health and hydration, the body needs on average nine cups per day for women and 13 cups per day for men — additional fluid comes in from the foods we eat, including high water content foods like fruits and vegetables.

What About Coconut Water and Chocolate Milk?

Some tout these coconut water and chocolate milk as optimal sports drinks, but the truth is, they are different.

Coconut water can be a super refreshing and hydrating addition to a smoothie or protein shake. It is naturally loaded with potassium, but lacks the sodium some people need, especially if they tend to have a high sweat rate.

Chocolate milk and sports drinks share similarities such as provision of fluid, carbs, and electrolytes, but the protein content positions it better for after exercise. Not surprisingly, a study published in 2019 determined that chocolate milk had an increased benefit on strength training in high school athletes. For post exercise recovery, chocolate milk can be a one-stop option for the much-needed protein component, but is not an interchangeable option for a sports drink.

Bottom Line: Sports Drinks Vary

Finding the right sports drink for you may take some experimentation. Check labels on all products to evaluate the carbohydrate, sodium, and potassium content, then choose the best fit for your training regimen and fueling.

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