They Are Unnecessary for Most People

 

There are several factors to consider when deciding whether sports drinks may benefit you.

Type and Intensity of Exercise

First, consider your exercise habits, as well as the duration and intensity of your training.

While sports drinks can benefit athletes who engage in long or intense training sessions, they are probably unnecessary for most gym-goers.

If you perform light-to-moderate exercise, such as walking or jogging, for less than 1 hour, you probably do not need to use sports drinks.

Similarly, if you only perform weight training, you probably do not need to use sports drinks, even if you spend over an hour at the gym.

Much of your time may be resting between sets, and weight training does not reduce your body’s carbohydrate stores as much as endurance exercise does (14Trusted Source).

If you do decide to use a sports drink, you should probably consume smaller amounts for exercise lasting less than an hour and no more than 30 grams of carbs for a session lasting 1–2 hours (10Trusted Source).

They May Affect Weight Loss

For those trying to maintain or lose weight, another important factor to consider is energy balance, or the balance between the number of calories you consume and burn.

If you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories in a day than you consume.

If sports drinks are unnecessary for the type of exercise you do, consuming them provides you with unnecessary calories that could hinder your weight loss goals.

However, some research has shown that consuming sports drinks during exercises like running do not “undo” the calories used during exercise (16Trusted Source).

For example, a 150-pound (68-kg) person may burn about 240 calories when jogging for 30 minutes (17).

Consuming 12 fluid ounces (355 ml) of a common sports drink may provide about 20 grams of carbs and only 80 calories.

However, it’s important to realize that some activities may not burn many calories, even if they feel difficult.

For example, weight training may only burn around 120 calories in a 30-minute session if you weigh 150 pounds (68 kg) (18).

Think about whether the type and duration of the exercise you do requires a sports drink and be aware of how many calories you consume from these beverages.

Summary

Although sports drinks can improve the performance of athletes during several types of exercise, they are probably unnecessary for most people. If you choose to drink these beverages, it is important not to overconsume them.