Electrolyte Sports Drinks

While following the right diet and stretching your muscles on a regular basis will help to maintain your health, the right electrolyte sports drink will also help to give you more energy when you are changing up your exercise routine or are training for an intense physical competition. But how do you find the right electrolyte sports drink for you? Here are some tips that may help.

The main electrolytes that the body needs are potassium, sodium, and chloride. Small amounts of bicarbonate are also needed, and all of these substance help to create electrical charges in the body. These charge serve as signals to the brain, nerves, and muscles systems, so that your muscles when know how to react when you’re working out. Your brain functions at a more normal rate when you are taking in enough electrolytes as well, and your nervous system will ‘cooperate’ with the body more, which means you will most likely have less muscle cramping after a workout.

An electrolyte sports drink should have the right amounts of each of these electrolytes for your body, but you shouldn’t use the sports drinks as a substitute for a good diet. For instance, eating fruits and leafy green vegetables with potassium will enhance the effectiveness of a sport drink like Gatorade or Powerade. It is also a good idea to balance the amount of sodium your body is taking in, especially if you are drinking sport drinks on a regular basis. Cutting the salt out of your diet can be done by choosing alternative seasonings for your meat and vegetables, and by drinking enough water during the day, even when you’re not working out.

Your electrolyte sports drink can also be used if you feel yourself coming down with a cold or the flu. Electrolytes help to protect the body from sickness as well, so when you feeling like you’re getting some type of infection, it is probably due to electrolyte loss. Potassium and sodium are also used in laxative medications for both children and adults, since irregularity can cause a number of health problems. If you have a little one who is coming down with a fever, an electrolyte sports drink may help to bring the body temperature back to normal.

You can find the right electrolyte sports drink for you by visit your local General Nutrition Center or Vitamin Shoppe. There are several brands and flavors for you to choose from, or you can order online from www.gnc.com or www.vitaminshoppe.com.