Electrolyte beverages can help your body stay balanced — but may worsen symptoms if you’re sick

In 1965, Dr. Robert Kidd and a team of scientists At the University of Florida College of Medicine, she created Gatorade to help football players combat heat exhaustion and muscle cramps during long workouts in extreme temperatures.

The drink’s winning formula of water, sodium, potassium and sugar works effectively with the human body to keep users hydrated, provide them with energy and improve muscle function.

While I do not work for or receive funding from Gatorade, As a registered dietitian and nutrition coachI’ve seen how specific electrolyte drinks can be chosen to enhance hydration in hospitalized patients, students, athletes, and even myself.

Although Gatorade was one of the first beverages to be heavily marketed to consumers, its array of ingredients paved the way for the creation of more sports and electrolyte drinks on grocery store shelves today. If you’re looking to get a specific nutritional benefit from a sports drink, you can look to a registered dietitian for an individualized plan. Otherwise, if you’ve ever wondered what makes these colorful beverages such an attractive nutritional source, here’s a closer look at some of the key ingredients.

The importance of hydration

Whether people are athletes or not, the human body is constantly losing water through normal human functions such as sweating, urination, and even breathing. When water is lost, the body also excretes key electrolytes e.g Potassium and sodium. These electrolytes are essential for everything from heart function to muscle contractions.

Electrolytes It gets its name “electric” from the presence of an electric charge when dissolved in water. This charge allows them to work throughout the body in chemical reactions that maintain the normal functioning of the brain, balance fluids inside and outside the body’s cells, and even balance the pH or alkalinity of the blood.

Electrolytes can help you rehydrate after exercise by balancing fluids in our cells.

Great stress on the body can speed up the process Dehydration process – Whether it was intentional, such as running 5 kilometers, or unintentional, such as developing a stomach ulcer. If left untreated, dehydration can cause more serious complications, such as fainting and irregular heartbeat.

To prevent these complications, you need to replace the fluids and electrolytes you lose. Stressful scenarios such as exercise and illness are an ideal time to consider an electrolyte replacement drink.

A closer look at Gatorade’s ingredients

Water is the main ingredient in most sports drinks. Moisturizes you. The human body consists of About 60% waterTherefore, to stay hydrated, it is important to listen to your body and drink water regularly. When the volume of water in the body decreases, it sends thirst signals to the brain.

However, these signals often lag behind your hydration status. So, once you feel thirsty, your body is probably already a little dehydrated. For a more accurate assessment of hydration percentage, check out Urine color. Dark yellow or golden urine? Grab some water. Urine pale yellow or clear? Continue to hydrate well.

Sodium, another ingredient in Gatorade, attracts water. When you’re dehydrated, your body’s blood is more concentrated because less water is circulating overall.

When you have low blood volume, your blood vessels do not dilate as much as they normally would, which ultimately leads to low blood pressure. If your blood pressure drops too quickly due to dehydration, you may feel dizzy, lightheaded, nauseous, or weak.

The good news is that sodium effectively draws water into the bloodstream. So, during intense exercise or while dealing with dehydration, eating a salty snack or sports drink can help.

The potassium in Gatorade regulates muscle contractions. This electrolyte is particularly important for regulating the heartbeat, and it also aids in normal skeletal muscle contractions. If the body lacks enough potassium, painful muscle cramps or dizziness can disrupt your workout or day.

Sugar provides quick energy The strength of absorption of nutrients. Traditional Gatorade contains glucose and dextrose, both known as simple sugars. Simple sugar is one that the body can digest and absorb quickly, with the aim of quickly increasing blood sugar.

Strenuous aerobic exercise or strength training lasting longer than 60 minutes, performing activities in extremely hot or humid climates, or physical stress resulting from an unwelcome illness can speed up the body’s metabolism and quickly deplete it. Blood glucose. When glucose levels drop, you may feel tired, weak, dizzy, nauseous, or have trouble concentrating.

The nutrient composition in Gatorade was designed with athletes in mind, but it’s also sometimes discussed as a remedy to consider during an uncomfortable bout of gastrointestinal illness. Diarrhea and Vomiting They are easy ways to escape electrolytes such as sodium and potassium.

Energy drinks’ combination of simple sugars, water, and electrolytes may be one strategy for maintaining hydration during times when food and liquids are difficult to digest.

However, be careful – many traditional sports drinks are high in sugar in order to replenish energy lost during exercise. When the same sugar content is introduced into an upset digestive system, it can draw in more water, leading to more diarrhea. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some other options to consider.

Choose a drink that is low in sugar. Drinks to consider include Pedialyte or even broth-based soup. Both will moisturize with minimal added sugar content.

The human body is incredibly efficient at managing nutrients in the blood. In most cases, balanced meals and water consumption are sufficient to meet your daily nutritional needs. However, during intense physical exercise or an unexpected illness, the body may have difficulty maintaining its usual balance.

If you notice unusual symptoms like dizziness, fatigue, or persistent thirst, your body will need attention. In specific cases of dehydration caused by exercise or illness, a sports drink like Gatorade can be a simple tool to help you get back to your best.

Brian BaderVisiting lecturer in kinesiology, nutrition and health, University of Miami

This article was republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. Read Original article.