Which is better powerade or water

While you probably know that you need to replenish fluids lost from sweat, you might wonder if your body needs something more robust than water. For general hydration needs, including after low-intensity or brief bouts of exercise, plain water is sufficient. Every cell in your body contains water, which demonstrates how important it is. Electrolytes, minerals in our blood, sweat and urine, are also important.

They include sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and magnesium and are essential for proper nerve and muscle function — including our heart muscle. They are also key to proper hydration for a really specific reason — they maintain proper fluid balance inside and outside of our cells.

Severe dehydration can cause electrolyte imbalances because you lose water and electrolytes, especially sodium, when you sweat. Electrolytes are found in many foods — including fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts and seeds — so you could stick to water and augment with fruit and something containing salt.

Children, in particular, may clamor for sports drinks, but these can contribute to weight gain if they are drunk without enough activity. Water is a better choice if you are not participating in physical activity. Follow certain guidelines when deciding whether to drink Powerade or water during a workout. If you are exercising at a very intense level and losing a lot of sweat for more than an hour, as explained by the Mayo Clinic, you might benefit from drinking Powerade vs water.

Along with electrolytes and hydration, the drink provides sugar as a quick energy source. The sweet taste may also encourage you to drink more, so you hydrate at a faster pace. Powerade also has vitamins B-3, B-6 and B added to purportedly support energy metabolism — the addition of these vitamins helps you utilize the sugar in Powerade and convert it to fuel. If you need more than water, but don't want the calorie investment of Powerade, try diluting it in water. A ratio of Powerade and water halves your calorie intake, but still provides some sugar, vitamins and electrolytes for recovery.

If you really just need water, but crave something a bit more flavorful, try adding slices fruits — such as strawberries, limes, grapefruit or oranges — to your water. For a more savory water blend, steep your water with cucumber slices, mint and basil leaves.

Read more: Gatorade G2 Vs. Powerade Zero. If you are an endurance athlete, a sports drink such as Powerade can help you prevent a rare condition known as hyponatremia. When you consume too much water, your sodium levels become too low —causing headaches, weakness, fatigue, confusion and muscle twitching, according to the U. National Library of Medicine. Wilk B. Effect of drink flavour and NaCl on voluntary drinking and hydration in boys exercising in heat.

Wemple R. Influence of sodium replacement on fluid ingestion following exercise-induced dehydration. Sport Nutr. Maughan R.

Fluid and CHO intake during exercise. Clinical Sports Nutrition, 3rd Edition. McGraw-Hill: Sydney. Jeukendrup A. Carbohydrate-electrolyte feedings improve 1 h time trial cycling performance. Sports Med.