September 20th, 2010 
Dennis 
We all know the need for proper hydration. Water is the most important ingredient to a healthy life especially when exercising. Hydration guidelines suggest we drink 8-10 fl oz every 10-15 minutes during an exercise program lasting 60-90 minutes.But what about sports drinks? Are you adding unnecessary calories and sodium to your diet? Popular theory tells us we need to replace electrolytes after exercise and now they are telling us we need to do it before, during AND after!!! But is this the right advice for all levels of exercise?
Electrolytes are electrically charged particles that help the body function normally. Sodium along with potassium, calcium and magnesium are some of those electrolytes. Sodium is lost in the highest concentration in sweat. You are unlikely to need to replace electrolytes unless you are exercising at a high intensity for 60 minutes or more. It's really not necessary to replace losses of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes during exercise since you're unlikely to deplete your body's reserves of these minerals during normal training. If, however, you find yourself exercising in extreme conditions over 3 or 5 hours (a marathon, Ironman or even tennis players in the sun for example) you may want to add a complex sports drink with electrolytes.
Potassium can be replaced after an hour of hard training by snacking on a medium to large banana. Including calcium rich foods in your daily diet as well as great sources of magnesium such as green leafy vegetables, whole grains and nuts as often as possible are a well balanced and satisfying way to replace those losses. A recovery snack of nonfat milk and whole grain bread with peanut butter can replace most of the sodium lost in sweat during a hard hour long workout.
So put down the sports drink and grab a healthy snack instead!
Sincerely,
Dennis Croll
www.vitalliving.co.nz