ABSTRACT
Sports drinks are fortified, thirst-quenching beverages whose stated purpose is to help athletes engaged in active training and competition. Sports drinks act by preventing dehydration and enhance rehydration, by supplying carbohydrates to augment the available energy and glycogen replacement, and by providing electrolytes to replace losses due to perspiration and sweating, leading to a better exercise performance [1]. According to some sport regulatory authorities, they are generally made up of carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes, some vitamins, and flavoring [2,3] to improve their palatability, which is one of the critical parameters that should be taken into account during their designing [4]. Several studies have been conducted to clarify the physiological changes occurring in athletes during exercise and define the appropriate nutritional needs for their activity. These studies show that the composition of the sports drinks and the timing of their consumption are critical factors for fatigue reduction and performance improvement during training and exercise, and also for the maximization of muscular recovery after exercise. Using this information and results from sport nutrition studies, many commercially available sports drinks have been designed (Gatorade, Powerade, Powerade Advance, Vitargo, Jxdrink, and Accelerade, etc.) [5].
