alright I’m putting my gloves on. Gatorade is an electrolyte drink. the sugar hides saltiness. also, Kool aid flavors are way fucking tastier. don’t disrespect Kool aid like that again.
Marine Corps beat that into me. We had two options for drinks at the chow hall in boot camp: water or blue Powerade. No milks no juices no sodas no red Powerade. Only blue Powerade. It’s the only one I’ll drink anymore, the rest serve no purpose.
they don’t even make the drink mix for it anymore. if I want to buy it I have to pay full price. in college, 50/50 blue Powerade and Sprite was my go-to
Water is best when you’re thirsty. Water is best for hangovers. Water is best for sports hydrations. Cold water is best when you want a cold drink. Water is best for lunch. Drink more water.
My understanding is that it depends on context. Have you been sweating a lot? Are you super dehydrated? Sports drinks (actual “sports drinks” like Gatorade) are probably better for you than water.
The reason for that is because you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes through sweat, and drinks like Gatorade are meant to replace those. That’s why professional athletes, especially stamina-based athletes like marathon runners, football players, etc, tend to drink some form of sports drink (the sponsorships help though). Additionally, if you’re extremely dehydrated then you may also be low on electrolytes (because you’ve been out in the sun, or you’ve been sweating a lot). I’ve also heard that sports drinks hydrate faster because they’re supposedly similar to saline, but I can’t find any sources for that, so take that with a grain of salt.
However, if you’re just kinda thirsty or want something to drink, then water is probably better. I doubt you’ll hurt yourself drinking Gatorade instead of water, but you don’t need it either.
Basically, Gatorade’s additional sugar and carbs mean that it makes sense if you are highly active, have a considerably above average physique, or actively drinking it mid work out or other strenuous activity.
For more average people, pedialyte probably makes more sense.
Especially if you are going to pick one to replace water.
While I agree with you, Gatorade released a Pedialyte competitor called Gatorlyte recently. Similar benefits but half the price. I’d recommend that (or a similarly cheap option if another exists) to keep from breaking the bank.
The gatorlyte also is way less sweet than the pedialyte. When my some was sick and throwing up we got him some pedialyte and he wouldn’t drink it because it was so sweet.
After he refused I tried some and agreed it was disgustingly sweet. Made me feel good about the watered down apple juice (and usually water and milk for lunches).
Gatorade (or rather electrolyte waters such as SmartWater) is best when you’re dehydrated and also need salt. The electrolytes help your body actually use the water. Too much water will flush your system out and can lead to cramps and other problems. Especially in the case of dehydration if you’ve been sweating a lot.
Spoken like a Lemming who hasn’t worked out seriously or had a serious physical job in their life.
Humans didn’t spend the entirety of their existence looking for shit better than water for no reason lol. Hydrohomies and an iced glass of water is great… But…
You know what’s better than water when you need water? Nearly everything that isn’t alcohol or literal piss.
Yes, this includes milk and soda. Anything with sugar, protein, or fat is great.
And yes, spiking our drinks with low amounts of drugs is also nice.
You know what’s better than water when you need water? Nearly everything that isn’t alcohol or literal piss.
I mean it really depends on the person and their current condition. The article you linked kinda has an abstract definition of hydration that doesn’t take into account things normally associated with dehydration.
If you are working hard outside and are mildly dehydrated I wouldn’t recommend slamming down a sugary soda with caffeine. Excessive sugar is diluted in the intestines which can cause further dehydration, and caffeine is a diuretic.
Normally this wouldn’t really matter, but if you’re already dehydrated it can make the situation worse.
Water is great, it may not be the most effective hydrator in the world as it doesn’t have the electrolytes and sugars that something like Gatorade has. However, it’s the best thing for your overall kidney and liver health which is what really matters. Most Americans already have an excess of salt, fat, and sugar in their diets, so even after working outside and sweating your ass off you are probably better off just having some water.
but if you’re already dehydrated it can make the situation worse.
No, it won’t. That’s the point of the misconception. You even get to it later then dismiss. We aren’t taking about overall health. We aren’t talking about the 'betes.
None of those things will dehydrate you more despite people saying differently. Not soda, not milk, even beer under 2% beer will be better. You will be rehydrated, there WILL be a net gain of water in your body. There is no net loss of water no matter how much people say sugar or caffeine will lower the net gain.
If you’re dehydrated, you’re lacking salt. There’s a reason why physically demanding companies provide free drink packets to their crews. They don’t want road crews dying by the side of the road because they slammed water and had no salt on a 100 degree day working next to a machine shooting out molten tar and rock. We aren’t pumping people’s blood full of sterile water. Saline bags are .9% salt for a reason.
No, it won’t. That’s the point of the misconception. You even get to it later then dismiss. We aren’t taking about overall health. We aren’t talking about the 'betes.
I mean, whenever you are talking about health you always consider total outcomes. The articles you are linking are talking about a very specific type of dehydration.
None of those things will dehydrate you more despite people saying differently. Not soda, not milk, even beer under 2% beer will be better. You will be rehydrated, there WILL be a net gain of water in your body. There is no net loss of water no matter how much people say sugar or caffeine will lower the net gain.
“Beverages with more concentrated sugars, such as fruit juices or colas, are not necessarily as hydrating as their lower-sugar cousins. They may spend a little more time in the stomach and empty more slowly compared to plain water, but once these beverages enter the small intestine their high concentration of sugars gets diluted during a physiological process called osmosis. This process in effect “pulls” water from the body into the small intestine to dilute the sugars these beverages contain. And technically, anything inside the intestine is outside your body. Juice and soda are not only less hydrating, but offer extra sugars and calories that won’t fill us up as much as solid foods, explained Majumdar. If the choice is between soda and water for hydration, go with water every time. After all, our kidneys and liver depend on water to get rid of toxins in our bodies”
From your own article…
If you’re dehydrated, you’re lacking salt. There’s a reason why physically demanding companies provide free drink packets to their crews. They don’t want road crews dying by the side of the road because they slammed water and had no salt on a 100 degree day working next to a machine shooting out molten tar and rock. We aren’t pumping people’s blood full of sterile water. Saline bags are .9% salt for a reason.
Again, you are talking about a specific type of dehydration… hyponatremia is exceedingly rare and is usually a sign of an undiagnosed kidney disease. Your nephrons will usually regulate your thirst in conjunction to the available salts in the body.
Dehydration is not just a lack of salt, it’s an imbalance of salt. Meaning that you can just be low on fluid with too much salt available.
"Unsurprisingly, the ad is sponsored by the milk industry. And while I’d never heard this claim before, the studies behind the idea aren’t particularly new or compelling. "
Finally, the main benefit of water is that it’s neutral. The reason why people don’t tell you to slam a glass of milk or soda if you’re dehydrated is because it can upset your stomach. When concentrated amounts of sugars or fats enter the intestine the dilution process can go overboard and cause diarrhea, which can dangerously dehydrate you further.
Hydration is more complicated than what you are alluding too. Simply stating everything but piss and liquor is better than water is just ridiculous and misleading. In specific scenarios other liquids may provide some advantages, but it’s highly reductive to make that claim so broadly. Especially considering it requires you to separate hydration from kidney health, you know the things that control your thirst in the first place.
Whether or not the shittonne of sugar in Gatorade is a problem depends on the person. A lazy Google search tells me professional athletes require between 3000 and 8000 calories, obviously depending on what sport they are engaged in. They could probably use the sugar; they’re probably pounding protein shakes too, and you can’t get all of your calories from protein long-term, you need sugar or fat or ideally both.
Then there’s alcoholics using Gatorade for hangover recovery. Alcoholism tends to reduce food intake, causing alcoholics to frequently be underweight. Sugar in the default hangover drink isn’t hurting them, they probably need it, and could probably use more calories besides. I know, this one is me. My license says I’m 5’9", and the scale just told me I’m 108 lbs. With a BMI of 15.9, any calorie I consume is a good thing, regardless of whether it’s dextrose, sucrose, a complex carb, or protein.
Inactive people who eat more than they need and are overweight because of it don’t need the sugar in Gatorade, but also probably aren’t active enough to need the electrolytes in Gatorade; they should be drinking water
You cannot say that with statistical certainty. There’s about 8 billion people who haven’t eventually died yet and all it will take is one of them to break that 100%. You should include a disclaimer with an error range or you might get sued by someone who spikes someone’s drink with dihydrogen monoxide and then they don’t eventually die for botching their assassination.
That said, the statistics are pretty strong. 99.9% is basically 100% plus wiggle room so no one can sue me, so readers should be aware that this dangerous chemical can also go by the name of hydrogen hydroxide and some food manufacturers try to sneak it by with the name aqua in their ingredients list.
The average basement dweller probably just needs more water in their life, but anyone eating a balanced diet who is sweating and working out hard or competiting in an athletic event absolutely needs electrolytes not just water. Drinks like Gatorade with simple sugar in them are also still good in this context, the sugar is a readily burned source of energy that is important to have available for high intensity activity. Obviously if you drink sugar and sit on the couch it just goes to your waist, but that doesn’t make it bad for people who are using it correctly.
Add comment