There are dozens of sports hydration products on the market - but what do they really do?
Almost all sports drinks contain carbohydrate in the form of sugars and electrolytes. The first research evidence suggesting that sugars can enhance endurance performance was in the 1920s during the Boston marathon, with a boom in research (and products) in the 80s and 90s.
When choosing an electrolyte sports drink, you can consider things like:
• Electrolytes: The drink should contain the main electrolyte minerals, including sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous.
• Carbohydrates: Some drinks contain carbohydrates or sugar to help you hydrate faster. However, many electrolyte drinks contain a lot of added sugar, so you can look for drinks that use natural sugars or sweeteners instead.
• Caffeine: Some drinks contain caffeine, which can help with endurance performance.

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