Sports drinks earn their keep during long, continuous exercise, not during a typical gym session. For workouts under an hour, research comparing multiple beverages found no meaningful difference in how well water, sports drinks, tea, or cola hydrated the body.[1]
That carbohydrate and sodium combination is a real benefit for endurance athletes replacing what sweat and prolonged effort deplete, including potassium, but it's also added sugar for anyone whose workout doesn't reach that duration.[1] For a 45-minute gym session or a light jog, a sports drink mostly adds sugar without a matching performance benefit.
What to do with this
If your workout runs under an hour, plain water covers your hydration needs just as well as a sports drink, based on the available comparisons. Once you're exercising continuously for more than about 75 minutes, especially in heat or at high intensity, a sports drink's carbohydrate and electrolyte content starts to earn its place. Save sports drinks for truly long or intense sessions, and treat them as a sports supplement rather than a daily beverage.
Related reading
- Electrolyte Drink Mixes and Your Gut: What to Know Before You Add One Daily
- Water and Your Gut: The Simple Habit Most People Skip
- Keto Flu: What Causes It and How Long It Lasts
- Potassium and Your Gut: The Mineral Most People Don't Get Enough Of
- Tabo Culture and Gut Health: What Squat Toilets and Proper Hydration Do for Digestion
