Sports drink or water?

A common question is whether you should choose water or a sports drink to rehydrate during exercise. Sports drinks provide not only water, but also electrolytes and carbohydrates, which are particularly desirable to athletes who train at higher intensities for longer than 60 minutes. Exercising at higher intensities or in the heat increases your body's demand for carbohydrate as a fuel source to sustain activity and avert fatigue. Providing carbohydrate in the form of a sports drink is not only convienient, but may help increase daily caloric intake for athletes who struggle to get enough calories every day with meals alone. For these reasons, consuming a sports drink is often a good choice for rehydration during training or competition. If you are training at lower intensities for shorter durations, water is sufficient for rehydration.