The sports and fitness drink industry mints money in the name of high nutrient content. Little does the world know that these drinks contain silent infectors that can harm the body insidiously.
Sodium content is directly proportional to your blood pressure level. Sodium is needed for athletes, as they lose them by sweating in exercises and similar physical activities. As a result, sodium drinks help to take the body back to the required sodium level that your body needs. Sportspersons need to have a regulated amount of water in the body as well because physical exercises make a person thirsty. Sodium helps to regulate the osmotic process in the body which pertains to the level of necessary mineral solutes and ions.
In high temperatures, the sodium loss tends to be even more. This ascertains the need for high sodium content for people living in countries closer to the equator. The extracellular amount of fluid during the workout is because of the sodium content. The body contains sweat glands that work very efficiently. These sweat glands reabsorb some amount of the sweat that was released. So, the body gets back some sodium content lost. The part of sodium that still needs to be gained back by the body can be replenished with the help of sports drinks.
To replenish one’s body fluids and to stay away from exercise-associated hyponatremia, the best body fluid is water. Yes, the most underrated one but the one that works miraculously in getting back the sodium content. It has no calories and also, it is a great way to quest one’s thirst. It contains essential minerals and acts as a good sports drink for sportspersons. However, there are many other custom-made sports drinks that contain sodium in good quantity, because during the workout sodium is the largest lost mineral. Therefore, any sportsperson who indulges in an exercise that lasts more than 120 minutes should intake sodium-based drinks. These drinks keep away fatigued and tiredness.
In countries that have colder temperatures, like the European countries, sodium intake must be limited. This is so because, in cold countries, the sweat glands don’t secrete sweat owing to the cold environment. So, the body does not need a large quantity of sodium. Higher sodium content than what is needed can trigger high blood pressure and anxiety.
Keeping hydrated is immensely important. If you are a sports person, you must be concerned about your body hydration and mineral level.