"<I>Ugly Bags of Water"
A bit of trivia: What movie describes humans as "ugly bags of water?" Was it: Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe, Star Wars, or Star Trek? Answer at the end of this column.
We really are bags of water (but I don't think we're ugly). Sixty to sixty-five percent of our total weight is water, so it makes sense that water is the best choice of drink. Current recommendations are to drink eight to 12 cups (four to six of those little Poland Springs water bottles) of fluid each day, depending on your activity level and the ambient temperature. You should drink at least eight to 16 ounces of water before you exercise; four to eight ounces every 15 minutes during exercise; and 24 ounces after exercise. Thirst isn't an adequate stimulus for water consumption after exercise because it's a delayed response. If you depend on your thirst to tell you how much to drink, you'll fall short of your needs.
<I>Sports Drinks
Sports drinks, like Gatorade, have been around since the 1960s. They're a mixture of salted, flavored sugar water with some potassium added and about half the calories of a soda or fruit drink. They were developed for endurance athletes to help replace electrolytes (like sodium and potassium) that may be lost in sweat during lengthy, strenuous workouts. Although controversial, current research suggests electrolyte losses are negligible until your sweat loss reaches five to six liters, which might occur after exercising strenuously for five hours or more. In other words, the average exerciser doesn't need sports drinks. In fact, the sugar and salt in these drinks actually slow down water absorption. The only reason to drink a sports drink is if because of the taste. First, get your water in; then consider a sports drink if you still need more fluid, like the taste, don't mind the cost, and can afford the extra 50 to 80 calories in each eight ounces.<I>Energy Drinks
Energy drinks, like Red Bull and SoBe Adrenaline Rush, are caffeinated sugary drinks that have a mixed bag of vitamins, minerals, biochemicals, and herbs added. They usually contain between 100 and 160 calories in eight ounces, similar to a soft drink. "Not too bad," you might say. But considering that some of these drinks come in super-sized bottles containing two or more servings, you can see how easy it would be to chug down several hundred extra calories (and get hyper on the caffeine). These drinks are not a good way to re-hydrate after exercise because the high amount of sugar they contain hinders fluid absorption from your stomach, giving you that "squashy" feeling inside. Also, the caffeine in energy drinks (a strong cup of coffee's worth in each eight ounce drink) acts as a diuretic, increasing urine production and dehydrating the athlete.You should also be aware that various adverse effects have been reported when energy drinks are mixed with alcohol. A caffeine-alcohol combo causes the drinker to feel wide-awake and not realize how drunk they are getting or how badly their ability to drive is becoming.
The vitamins and minerals in these drinks may do you some good if your diet is lacking in these nutrients. The herbals and creatine are added in amounts much smaller than are thought to have any of the reputed health effects. Other ingredients include L-carnitine, hydroxycitrate, and pyruvate. These compounds are all involved in the body's metabolism of food energy, but none have been shown to help lose weight or build muscle when taken in supplemental form. Go to www.runnersworld.com for more on energy drinks.
<I>Diet Drinks
Diet drinks such as Slim Fast serve as a pretty good pre- or post-exercise food. Since such drinks are more of a mini-meal than a drink, you wouldn't want to have one of these shakes immediately before or right after exercise. That's the time when water is your best friend. But a Slim Fast shake would be okay as a light meal one to two hours before exercise, or for a snack shortly after exercise. Vitamins and minerals are added to the original milk-based shake, as well as the newer fruit/soy-based shake.The answer to the trivia question is Star Wars, but I'm not sure which one. Maybe you could tell me. Send to features@tuftsdaily.om along with any nutrition questions you'd like answered in this column.
Check out the accompanying table for some interesting comparisons, and decide what drink is best for you.
