It has been well documented that the ingestion of “sports drinks” has a positive impact on exercise performance. Global products such as Powerade and Lucozade have dominated sporting preparation this century, with similar drinks such as Gatorade having been introduced as early as 46 years ago. But to what extent do these isotonic fluids benefit an athlete? And can drinking a bottle of Lucozade actually help sport-specific skills?
After all, there are as many as 8,000 indigenous sports and sporting games on this planet – it is difficult to believe that just one drink can improve performers in each of these, simply due to the introduction of 6–8 grams of carbohydrates. Besides, how many tips have we been given down through the years about how to prepare for match day? Personally, as a team-sport, endurance based player, I’ve heard it all:
- The caffeine in tea is great for mental energy… But don’t drink tea – it’s a diuretic and causes dehydration
- Alan Shearer feasted on chicken and beans prior to every match… But shouldn’t football players eat more carbs and lighter portions?
- Recovery sessions: Ice baths are the way to go… As long as you’re not ingesting protein and other recovery diets… What about jacuzzis?
- Always drink as much water as you can… But you don’t want to over-hydrate of course
Sadly, most sportspeople – amateur or pro – are interested to know what they are putting into their bodies - especially if their nutritional habits can give them an advantage for physical and mental performance - but with so many conflicting ideas on so many hot topics, it’s hard for us to be exact and to establish a reliable routine. I was genuinely baffled when, just a few days ago, someone asked me, “So this Lucozade nonsense: Do you recommend it?” Things have got that bad.
Now I know (hope) that the majority of readers realise the benefits of such fluid intakes like Coca Cola’s Powerade, but it does no harm to be exact and unanimous – words which are unfortunately missing in a sportsperson’s language these days. As already stated, a “sports drink” contains between 6-8 grams of carbohydrates. Crucially, as well, the likes of Lucozade contain electrolytes that enable a working body to take on-board more fluid vital for the rehydration process which we are constantly inundated about.
As most people are aware, carbohydrates are essential to help prolong exercise performance. Many published papers in the field have already identified that the depletion of your body’s glycogen stores can result in fatigue and reduced performance – it is therefore an absolute necessity that an athlete is taking his/her carbs which can be used as glucose to continually replenish your energy stores. But, I know from my own past experiences, that it is easy for a consensus to emerge that the carbohydrates available in a fluid solution could hardly be adequate to sustain energy levels.
Thankfully, I have had my own opportunity to study the effects of Powerade (carbohydrate-electrolyte: CHO-E) on team-sport players.
The above table highlights how the ingestion of one bottle of Powerade (500ml) can have an important impact on the level of glucose within a player’s blood. The experiment which we carried out at undergraduate level involved a Gaelic player, a Footballer, a Rugby player, and a Volleyball player taking the “sports drink” 20 minutes before a tested exercise. Already, from the post-drink results, it is clear that isotonic solutions have massive nutritional benefits to be taken within the last hour of match preparation – a time in which I, personally, find it almost impossible to eat anything solid.
The unpublished study also concluded that the intake of a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution such as Lucozade was absolutely vital for maintaining blood glucose levels during exercise.
The CHO-E based drink allowed athletes who were running at 70% of their V02 Max to start with greater glucose availability which was then evidently used a lot in the first 10 minutes of exercise – such energy which wasn’t available to runners who drank the water solution. Drinking an isotonic drink before exercise also proved pivotal for the exercising body to replenish energy during exercise – and after 30 minutes, the available glucose for athletes was still significantly on the rise.
Interestingly, too, after 30 minutes of exercise your body will naturally lose its efficiency to use carbohydrates as an energy source. The ingestion of a “sports drink” is vital then for sports where topping up energy stores during a match are not possible. The 30 minute window, however, is perfect for a sport like Gaelic Football where players can literally refuel at half time and sustain their glucose levels.
Lucozade has also been proven to directly maintain central nervous system functions. This helps maintain actual technical performance. I’ve been there – when you’re tired, when energy is sapped, out goes your concentration and out goes your skills. But when your physical and mental energy can be sustained, as provided by Powerade or Lucozade, then your passing ability, ball control, and all-round technical proficiency is also upheld.
With all the uncertainties, all the divided opinions, all the techniques associated with improving modern day sporting performance, it is refreshing to know for certain that there is one solution that can sustain our physical, mental and technical abilities and not let the treacheries of fatigue drag us down too much. It is good to know that, as a sportsperson, there is something out there which will solve my problems of eating before and after games – and do this in an effective manner. It is good to know that we are at long last on our way to certainty when it comes to nutrition, performance maintenance, and recovery. It is good to know that we are finally eliminating unnecessary questions like whether or not we support this “Lucozade nonsense”. It is good to know that we are now demystifying the age-old questions of what makes our bodies tick.
