What do I need in a sports drink??
after reading for about 30 minutes about different drinks, i still havent decided which one to get. I think a better way to decide which drink would be best is to know what my body really needs and find a drink accordingly.
So, here is what i THINK my body needs: sodium, potassium, carbs. so thats why i drink gatorade right now, because it has all of those. under this logic, it seems that koolaid with salt and a vitamin tablet would be good enough. But, i hear a lot of good things about nuun which has no calories or sugar, but has more sodium and potassium than gatorade. so now im very confused on whether my body needs sugar and carbs or not on long rides...
I don't want this to become another thread about which sports drink is best, I just want to know what things the body needs from a sports drink.
right now i drink water on short rides, and bring one bottle of half strength gatorade on long rides. i haven't cramped yet.
on a side note, what is a good recovery drink, or recovery meal that can help prevent muscle soreness or lactic acid build up? i know that caffeine can help reduce lactic acid build up when weightlifting, but im not sure if it is the same for endurance activities.