A short easy-to-undestand explanation of the confusion surrounding sports drinks.

Excerpt
Sports drinks are everywhere today, being consumed in the workplace, at home, and in the car as well as before, during, and after exercise. They are outperforming other beverage segments as more choices are being offered each day. Several types of sports drinks are being marketed: a) electrolyte replacement drinks, b) carbohydrate replacement drinks, c) combination drinks of electro-lytes and carbohydrates. While there may be a place for all within the sports arena, on closer examination, the drinks are used for completely different purposes. Electrolyte replacement drinks are designed to replace the fluids (water) and electrolytes (sodium, po-tassium, chromium, manganese, etc.) lost during exercise. Carbo-hydrate drinks are the acceptable choice for instant energy during strenuous exercise and muscle recovery afterwards. Many carbohy-drate drinks may also include electrolytes. According to the Ameri-can College of Sports Medicine, consuming adequate food and fluid before, during, and after exercise can help maintain blood glucose levels during exercise, maximize exercise performance, and improve recovery time. Athletes should be well hydrated be-fore beginning exercise and should also drink enough fluid during and after exercise to balance fluid losses.