Whats the difference between a hypotonic sports drink and water?
Hypotonic drinks are dilute carbohydrate electrolyte solutions which are less concentrated than body fluids and are therefore rapidly absorbed by the body. They begin the rehydration process while simultaneously helping to replenish carbohydrate energy reserves. For athletes, this can be quite beneficial. This does not mean you should never drink water after exercise – just that you need to take account of your levels of fluid and electrolyte losses. Where losses are high and large volumes of fluid need to be consumed in a short period, it is important to consume sodium in combination with fluids if fluid balance is to be achieved and maintained.
Hypotonic drinks are dilute carbohydrate electrolyte solutions which are less concentrated than body fluids and are therefore rapidly absorbed by the body. They begin the rehydration process while simultaneously helping to replenish carbohydrate energy reserves. For athletes, this can be quite beneficial. This does not mean you should never drink water after exercise – just that you need to take account of your levels of fluid and electrolyte losses. Where losses are high and large volumes of fluid need to be consumed in a short period, it is important to consume sodium in combination with fluids if fluid balance is to be achieved and maintained. Sources: http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/0813.
