Exercise counterproductive drinks - types, reasons, and beneficial drinks 🧃

Beverages that reduce the effectiveness of exercise

 

Carbonated soft drink

Carbonated drinks are sweetened beverages that contain liquid fructose such as sugar, syrup, honey, or starch syrup, with cola and cider being typical examples. The sugar in carbonated drinks stimulates appetite, and excessive consumption can lead to hormonal imbalance.

 

Additionally, the carbon dioxide in carbonated drinks can produce gas in the body, leading to burping, and can stimulate stomach acid secretion, irritating the stomach lining.

 

Therefore, this can lead to abdominal bloating during exercise, causing abdominal pain, and additionally, because of the high sodium content, it can cause dehydration, leading to outcomes different from the original goal of fluid intake.

 

Sports drink

Sports drinks are beverages designed to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes through sweat during exercise, aiming to prevent dehydration and muscle cramps.

 

Sports drinks also contain a large amount of sugar and are absorbed into the body more quickly than water. However, consuming excessive amounts can put a burden on the stomach and hinder water absorption, so it is important to consume them in moderation.

 

The sugars in sports drinks affect hormones, providing a rapid increase in energy but not serving as a sustainable energy source.

Therefore, to effectively achieve the original purpose of sports drinks, which is to prevent dehydration and muscle cramps, it is better to drink them after exercise rather than before.

 

Beverages that help with exercise

 

Before exercise

 

• • Water: The best way to ensure adequate hydration before exercise.
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• • Coffee: To enhance workout efficiency, it is recommended to drink a caffeinated beverage about an hour before exercising. The ingredient called 'lipolysis' contained in caffeine actively promotes fat breakdown and also acts as a pain reliever, thereby helping to prevent muscle soreness.
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After exercise

 

• • Green tea: Green tea has low calories and contains various nutrients. The main component of green tea, 'catechin,' helps prevent body damage caused by active oxygen in the body and reduces harmful cholesterol.
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• • Cherry juice: Cherries have anti-inflammatory effects that prevent dehydration and blood vessel rupture, and reduce swelling. The components in cherries, such as vitamin A and potassium, greatly help in reducing post-exercise pain and treating inflammation.
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After exercise like this, it is recommended to drink beverages that contain electrolytes, water, and an appropriate amount of carbohydrates, and to avoid drinks with high concentrations of fructose or artificial sweeteners.