Sports drinks often contain carbohydrate in the form of sugar, as well as electrolytes and sometimes protein, vitamins, or caffeine. They come in different flavours. Examples of sports drinks include Accelerade, Gatorade, and Powerade.

Lauren K. Williams, M.S., Registered Dietitian, discusses sports drinks and athlete health.

Sport nutrition drinks are extremely important for athletes in high levels of competition.

There’s two important characteristics that these sports drinks contain. Number one, they’re going to contain some sort of energy, so this can be in all different types of forms but as you read the label you want to look for a good amount of carbohydrates in these sports drinks.

They are also going to contain electrolytes, which are extremely important when you’re sweating, when you’re working hard to make sure to replenish these vitamins and minerals throughout your body.

Some ideas of how you can incorporate sports nutrition drinks is actually just by diluting some fruit juice in your house. So take some apple or some orange juice, dilute it in half, and you have yourself a healthy sports drink.

For more convenient options when traveling or on the road you may find some some sports drinks in your local grocery store. Again, look for electrolytes as well as some carbohydrates to provide you energy to get through that tough competition.

For more information on sports drinks that are right for you to optimize your performance contact your local sports nutritionist or local registered dietitian with a sports nutrition expertise.

Presenter: Ms. Lauren K. Williams, Registered Dietitian, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Registered Dietitian