Drinking water before, during and after exercise is extremely important. Remembering that when you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated! There are a number of different sports drinks on the market so it is important to check the label to find out what ingredients are actually in the drink.
Some drinks contain approximately 6-8% sugar, this can provide a quick source of energy, remembering that higher doses of sugar can slow the body’s absorption of water so you need to still drink plenty of water as well.
Caffeine and Guarana are also popular ingredients that are included in some energy drinks; these are stimulants and so can increase the heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. Caffeine is also a diuretic and therefore can cause dehydration. If you are sensitive to caffeine then try to avoid these drinks as you can suffer from the shakes & possible sleep disturbances.
Take care when mixing energy drinks with alcohol as both can lead to dehydration. Think twice and have water instead!
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