11 Aug Electrolyte and Carbohydrate based drinks during Exercise.
Do you use Electrolyte drinks during your Exercise Activity?
If you’re training beyond the hour in your given activity or sport, you’re most likely encouraged to drink carbohydrate and or electrolyte drinks.
As these will enhance your performance and intensity, you should also drink one before training, during and after, correct?
Well this is not the case. If you want to lose fat stores or maintain your exercise activity for longer, you may need to re-think your hydration options.
When carbohydrates are consumed via sugars or starches such as in electrolyte drinks the body will secrete hormones that shut off the utilization of fats to a degree limiting the almost endless supply of energy from fat stores. So if you perform a sport or activity that requires long and intense training or want to drop some fat stores, avoid carbohydrates till after the bout of exercise and instead drink water or a sugar free electrolyte formula instead.
Carbohydrate loading is shown to increase performance but should be reserved for the avid recreational athlete and professional athlete as their metabolism are somewhat different. However low carbohydrate diets have demonstrated clinical significance in performance enhancement in professional athletes comparable to high carbohydrate diets.
Phinney et al Metabolsim 32 (8): 769-776, 1983
