June Tip of the Month

Is a sports drink a requirement for a runner?

Water is sufficient for runs under an hour. A sports drink is a convenient way to get in the carbs, sodium and fluids if you are a heavy sweater, or if your run will exceed an hour. The carbs in a sports drink provide fuel to “top off” your carbohydrate stores, but the carbs also encourage fluid absorption. Studies show that because the carbs taste good, the runner drinks more. The sodium in a sports drink is there to encourage fluid absorption and to replace the salt lost in sweat. Try different sports drinks until you find the one you like enough to drink enough and that you tolerate.

There are alternate ways to get your carbs, sodium and fluids, including drinking water when using a carbohydrate supplement (gel, bloks, sports beans, or dried fruit). However, getting enough sodium may be more difficult, especially when running in the heat. Either way, it is important to train with the sports drink or water/carb combo that you will use during your event, so find out what will be served on the course or plan to carry your own.

Jan Dowell is a Registered Dietitian who is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics and a CARA runner. You can learn more about sports nutrition or contact Jan at www.everyday-sports-nutrition-for-women.com.