When an individual sweats, she loses electrolytes. Key electrolytes that are lost include potassium, sodium and chloride. These electrolytes are essential for muscle function because electrolytes carry electrical impulses responsible for muscle contractions. After exercising for anywhere over 60 to 90 minutes, an individual needs to replace these electrolytes in addition to rehydrating.
Below are several drinks that will help you replenish both the fluids and electrolytes that you lost.
1. Cytomax
Cytomax is available in a premixed beverage or in a powder form. The brand offers several different product lines including Cytomax Protein, Cytomax Fast Twitch and Cytomax Recovery. In a 24 oz serving of Cytomax Performance, there are 210 calories and 29g of sugar. This drink provides 53g of carbohydrates, 285 mg of sodium and 243mg of potassium.
2. Accelerade
Accelerade is different than all the others drinks listed in this article because it is the only drink that includes protein. Accelerade has 240 calories in a 24 oz serving. Additionally, this drink provides 24g of carbohydrates, 10g of protein and 40g of sugar. Accelerade has 380mg of sodium and 130mg of potassium. The beverage also has 2g of fat.
3. GU2O
This beverage comes in a powder form and is mixed with water. GU2O is available in 4 flavors: orange, lemon lime, tango mango and raspberry. A serving of GU2O has 100 calories and 4g of sugar. The sugar comes from fructose. The beverage provides 240mg of sodium. Additional benefits of GU2O include 1% daily value of potassium and 26g carbohydrates.
4. Gatorade
One of the most well-known brands on the market, the average Gatorade has 50 calories and includes 14 g of sugar in an 8 oz serving. Gatorade comes in a very wide range of flavors. The sugar in Gatorade comes from a combination of high fructose corn syrup and sucrose syrup. This beverage is caffeine free and has 110 mg of sodium. Additional ingredients in Gatorade include 30 mg of potassium.
5. Propel Fitness Water
Manufactured by the same company that makes Gatorade, this beverage has only 10 calories per 8 oz serving. There are 2 g of sugar, which come from sucrose syrup and sucralose or Splenda. This beverage is caffeine free and has 35 mg of sodium. Propel also supplies 10% daily value of vitamin C, 10% daily value of vitamin E, 25% daily value of vitamin B6 and B3, 4% daily value of B12 and 25% daily value of pantothenic acid.
6. PowerBar Endurance
Created by the company that manufactures PowerBars with an aim to supply athletes with an electrolyte beverage, Powerbar Endurance comes in several flavors. This drink comes in a powder form and is designed with a 2 to 1 glucose to fructose blend aimed to deliver more energy to the muscles than glucose alone. A 24 oz serving of Powerbar Endurance has 204 calories and 29g of sugar. The drink provides 53g of carbohydrates, 285mg sodium and 143mg of potassium.
If you work out for longer than 90 minutes, you should aim to rehydrate as soon as possibly after your workout. Choose from any of the above drinks to help rehydrate and replenish all those lost electrolytes.
