I found the following misleading recommendation posted at a public
forum.
“Do you exercise or jog?
Then make sure you have fluid replacement by drinking
not pure water but “isotonic” drink.
You can save your money by making your own.
Here is the composition for my sports(isotonic) drink-:
200ml ordinary fruit squash
800ml water
A pinch of salt
Mix them all together in a jug and cool down in fridge.”
It should be noted that electrolyte replacement is not necessary for
light exercise like jogging in the evening for 30 minutes. Plain
water rehydration will do. Even if electrolyte replacement is
required as in endurance training, sodium is something easily
obtained from most diets and many of us eating out are already
getting more than enough sodium. Too much sodium can raise blood
pressure and result in swelling of the extremities. Face and hand
swelling are quite common in women who have consumed too much salt
before exercising.
The element of concern is really potassium, so common salt alone
won’t do for electrolyte replacement. A good, natural source of
potassium would be bananas. Another way to get potassium is from low sodium salts. They are sold at many supermarkets nowadays.
Isotonic drinks not only contain
potassium but also citrate which buffers blood pH and reduce the
effects of lactic acid accumulation. Personally, I find bicarbonate
to be a more effective buffer against acidosis (headache and
nausea). Too much bicarbonate can cause bloating and stomach upset.
You can make your own isotonic drink with oral rehydration tablets
or mixtures with pure citrus juices or banana shakes, but I’m not
sure if it’s worth the trouble when isotonic drinks are so cheap and
readily available. Unless there is excessive sweating or the
exercise very intense, just drink plain water. I do consume Gatorade and 100Plus, but I always dilute with water 1:1.
© Chan Joon Yee 2009
Connect with me through my Facebook fan page.
