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| What are sports drinks? How are they different from energy drinks, and what ingredients do they each contain? |
| Dr. Leana Wen: It’s important to distinguish between sports drinks and energy drinks. |
| Sports drinks are electrolyte-enhanced beverages. Their main purpose is to restore water and electrolytes that are lost during heavy exercise and sweating. They will contain electrolytes like sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Many are carbohydrate-based, with added sugars like fructose, glucose and sucrose. Sometimes they contain caffeine. |
| There are also energy drinks that are often, and unfortunately, confused with sports drinks. Energy drinks typically contain large amounts of caffeine. Many contain other legal stimulants like taurine, guarana and L-carnitine. These energy drinks could reduce fatigue and enhance performance in the short term. However, they are not sports drinks and should not be used when the purpose is to replenish electrolytes and fluids. |
| Energy drinks can be dangerous when consumed in large quantities. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,499 adolescents ages 12 to 17 went to the emergency room for an energy-drink related emergency in 2011. High amounts of caffeine can induce irregular and rapid heartbeats. Individuals may become anxious and develop sleeping problems. Those consuming energy drinks instead of sports drinks or water may become dehydrated. Also, although many ingredients in these energy drinks are marketed as being “natural,” they may be present in much larger quantities that people normally consume. |
| The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents do not use energy drinks. |
| CNN: Is it good to have caffeine in a sports drink, and how much is too much? |
| Wen: The primarily reason for using a sports drink is to replenish electrolytes and fluids. Caffeine does not have a role in replenishing electrolytes, and in fact is a diuretic that leads to more fluid being lost, so in general, I would advise to stay away from sports drinks that have caffeine. |
| Some adult athletes may choose drinks with caffeine as an added boost to their performance. If so, they should be aware of the risk and of exactly how much they are using. Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase heart rate and have adverse effects on performance, too. It also has addictive potential. |
| The negative impacts of caffeine are even more profound when it comes to young people. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 12 do not consume any caffeine. Children ages 12 to 18 should not exceed 100 milligrams of caffeine every day. |
| Parents should keep in mind that there are other beverages that contain caffeine, including coffee and many sodas, and that many sports drinks contain very high levels of caffeine that would far exceed the daily recommended amount. Given that sports drinks really are intended to replace electrolytes and not to be used as a stimulant, it’s best for children to avoid sports drinks with added caffeine. |
| CNN: Who needs sports drinks, and who should stay away? |
| Wen: Most people do not need sports drinks. Water is sufficient for hydration, and the food people eat will usually contain the electrolytes they need. Athletes engaging in mild to moderate activity and children playing on the playground or engaging in recreational after-school sports generally do not need additional electrolyte replacement drinks. |
| If it’s hot outside, they need to be drinking lots of water before, during and after exercise. They can also aim to eat foods packed with nutrients and electrolytes. Some examples include watermelon, milk, cheese, bananas, coconut water and avocados. If they are engaging in heavier activity for longer, they could also eat a snack of salted nuts. |
| Individuals who should consider sports drinks are athletes who are doing vigorous exercise for at least an hour or longer. Whether they need it depends on the climate, type and intensity of exercise, and whether they are prone to sweat heavily. |
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