One of the key aspects that make up most sports drinks is a carbohydrate source. Including some form of carbohydrate in your sports nutrition protocol is essential because it is what your body needs in order to continually produce ATP, which is then used to provide fuel for muscular contractions.
If you are doing long duration exercise, particularly if it is higher intensity in nature, then once these carbohydrate stores in the body run out, extreme fatigue will set in.
Therefore, by taking in a sports drink regularly while you are exercising, you help to prevent this from occurring and will be able to exercise for a longer duration of time.
Typically, a 6% solution is what you should be aiming for, which equates to 14 grams per 8 ounces of beverage. This has been tested and demonstrated to be the optimal percentage for helping to restore the body and ensure performance can continue.
It is essential to get the right mix of glucose, sucrose, and fructose as well, in order to promote the best absorption rate in the body. If too much this particular macronutrient is consumed with the beverage, it can actually hinder performance because it will take to long to get into the blood stream and to the working muscles.
So, be sure to keep these factors in mind when selecting your sports drink beverage.
