Which sports drink should you choose to optimize your sports performance?

Choose the perfect sports drink for your workout. Hydration, energy, and electrolytes: the keys to pushing your limits.

Table of Contents

Which sports drink should you choose to optimize your athletic performance? Why are sports drinks essential for your performance? What are the different types of sports drinks and their specificities? What composition should you choose for an optimal sports drink? How to choose your sports drink according to the duration and intensity of your exercise? How to use your sports drink effectively during physical activity?

Key points to remember:

  • Water is not enough after 1 hour of exercise; choose a specific sports drink.

  • Isotonic drinks for long efforts, electrolytes for short efforts.

  • Favor formulas that combine several carbohydrates and electrolytes.

  • Drink a few sips every 10 to 15 minutes to maintain optimal hydration, aiming for a total consumption of approximately 500 to 700 ml per hour.

  • Adapt your hydration strategy to your sport.

When faced with the challenge of prolonged exercise, your body needs more than just willpower. Hydration and energy intake become key factors in your performance. But in the jungle of sports drinks available on the market, how do you make the right choice? From isotonic drinks to electrolyte complexes, discover how to select the ideal solution to transform each of your workouts.

Why are sports drinks essential for your performance?

After an hour of intense physical activity, plain water is no longer enough to maintain your performance. Your body faces three major challenges that sports drinks can help you overcome.

Fighting dehydration during exercise

Dehydration is the first danger. A water loss of just 2% of your body weight can reduce your physical capacity by 20% [1]. During sustained exercise, you lose between 0.5 and 2.5 liters of water per hour depending on the intensity and weather conditions [2]. This loss must be gradually replaced to maintain your blood volume and your ability to regulate your body temperature.


For example, a 70 kg athlete losing 1.4 liters of sweat already reaches this critical threshold. This situation can occur in less than an hour of intense exercise, especially in hot or humid conditions. Water losses generally vary between 0.5 and 2.5 liters per hour, depending on the intensity of the effort and environmental conditions. It is therefore essential to compensate for these losses gradually to maintain blood volume and the body's ability to regulate its temperature. Regular hydration, with small sips every 10 to 15 minutes, helps prevent the harmful effects of dehydration on performance.

Carbohydrates to replenish energy reserves

At the same time, your Glycogen stores are gradually depleted. These limited carbohydrate stores are your primary source of energy at high intensity [3]. A well-formulated sports drink helps preserve this precious fuel by providing carbohydrates that can be directly absorbed by your working muscles.

Replace electrolytes lost through sweating

Finally, sweating causes significant losses of electrolytes, mainly sodium and potassium [8]. These essential minerals are involved in muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Their deficiency can cause cramps, premature fatigue and impaired recovery. [4]

What are the different types of sports drinks and their specificities?

Sports drinks are primarily differentiated by their concentration of sugars and minerals, a parameter called “ osmolarity. ” The closer it is to that of blood, the more quickly the drink is absorbed by the body—a key asset for maintaining hydration and energy during exercise.

Isotonic drinks: the perfect balance between hydration and energy

Isotonic drinks have a concentration similar to that of your blood (around 280-300 mOsm/L). They represent the The best compromise for most endurance sports, allowing optimal absorption of carbohydrates and water. This balanced formulation effectively meets the dual objective of hydration and energy intake.

Hypotonic drinks: priority given to rapid rehydration

Hypotonic drinks, less concentrated than your blood plasma, promote a rapid rehydration at the expense of energy intake. They are ideal for short efforts in hot weather, where hydration becomes the priority.

Hypertonic drinks: maximizing energy intake

Conversely, hypertonic drinks contain more dissolved particles than your blood. Being very high in carbohydrates, they maximize energy intake but slow water absorption and can cause digestive issues. They are generally reserved for recovery or extreme efforts in cold weather.

What composition should you choose for an optimal sports drink?

Behind every sip of an effective sports drink lies a precise and strategic formulation. The difference between keeping pace until the finish line or hitting the proverbial "wall" sometimes comes down to just a few key components.


A truly effective sports drink is based on the perfect balance between its different nutrients and their bioavailability, that is, their ability to be quickly absorbed and used by your body during exercise. It is not just a question of quantity, but above all of quality and synergy between the ingredients.

Carbohydrates

The ideal carbohydrate mix combines different carbohydrate sources to maximize intestinal absorption and provide consistent energy. The combination of maltodextrin, glucose, and fructose allows for different metabolic pathways to be used simultaneously, increasing the amount of carbohydrate your body can absorb per hour of exercise—up to 90g compared to 60g with a single source [5]. This multi-carb approach significantly delays exhaustion and optimizes your endurance.

Electrolytes

Sodium, the main electrolyte lost through sweat, serves three key functions:

  • It stimulates your natural thirst;

  • It accelerates intestinal absorption of water;

  • It limits urinary losses.

At optimal doses (20-30 mmol/L), it maintains your blood volume, essential for your endurance.


Potassium and magnesium, on the other hand, directly support your muscle contractions and nerve transmission. Potassium regulates hydration within your cells, while magnesium prevents cramps and optimizes your energy production during exercise. [6]

Vitamins

B vitamins ( B1, B2, B3, B5, B6) actively participate in energy metabolism and help reduce fatigue, allowing you to maintain your performance level for longer. [7]

How to choose your sports drink according to the duration and intensity of your workout?

The duration and intensity of your exercise directly dictate the type of drink best suited to your specific needs.

For short to moderate efforts (less than 1 hour 30 minutes), your priority remains hydration and maintaining electrolyte balance. An essential electrolyte solution like the one offered by Impulse Nutrition is the ideal choice. This complete mineral complex (sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc) optimizes your hydration while supporting your nerve and muscle functions. Its light formula, without unnecessary carbohydrate overload, avoids any digestive discomfort during short but intense efforts [4].

How to use your sports drink effectively during physical activity?

Even the most sophisticated sports drink will only reach its full potential with the right usage strategy. Having the best fuel isn't enough—you also need to know how and when to use it to turn every sip into performance.

Optimal dosage

For Impulse Nutrition's Energy Drink, dilute one sachet (40g) in 500ml of water to obtain a perfectly balanced isotonic solution.

Frequency of consumption

Favor regular intakes of small amounts (150-250 ml) every 15-20 minutes rather than a large amount at once. This strategy optimizes intestinal absorption and maintains a constant energy intake while preventing gastric discomfort.

Strategy according to the sport practiced

Adapt your strategy according to your sport :

  • When cycling, take advantage of the flat sections to hydrate yourself;

  • When trail running, plan strategic refreshment points to consume your energy drink;

  • In triathlon, maximize your hydration during the bike leg to compensate for limitations during the swim and run.

SOURCES

[1] Hydration for Athletic Performance. Nutrition and Enhanced Sports Performance (Second Edition). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B978012813922600045X 


[2] The importance of hydration on athletic performance. Pharmaceutical News . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0515370024001629 


[3] Muscle Glycogen Metabolism and High-Intensity Exercise Performance: A Narrative Review. Sports Med . https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-021-01475-0 


[4] Hydration and Electrolytes: Optimizing Fluid Balance for Exercise. Australian Institute of Fitness. https://fitness.edu.au/the-fitness-zone/hydration-and-electrolytes-optimising-fluid-balance-for-exercise/


[5] Multiple Transportable Carbohydrates and Their Benefits. Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/sse-108-multiple-transportable-carbohydrates-and-their-benefits 


[6] THE FLUID REPLACEMENT PROCESS: PRINCIPLES OF BEVERAGE FORMULATION FOR ATHLETES. Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI). https://www.gssiweb.org/sports-science-exchange/article/the-fluid-replacement-process-principles-of-beverage-formulation-for-athletes 


[7] The B-complex vitamins related to energy metabolism and their role in exercise performance: A narrative review. Science & Sports . https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0765159721000411 


[8] Exercise intensity effects on total sweat electrolyte losses and regional vs. whole-body sweat [Na + ], [Cl − ], and [K + ]. Eur J Appl Physiol . https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-018-4048-z

Associated product

Isotonic sports drink mint flavor
Isotonic sports drink mint flavor
21,90 € Aroma: Mint

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