ENHANCING ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE WITH SPORTS DRINKS. - Health Products Business

Sport drinks have been popular for many years among serious athletes who rely on them to improve performance. The first of these products, Gatorade, was introduced in the 1970s, and has since been joined by an astounding assortment of specialized drinks. Now these lightly flavored, fortified beverages have made their way from gyms and playing fields to the diet of the average consumer.

Despite their mainstream acceptance, they are still designed with the athlete in mind. The vast majority of sports drinks are formulated to replace the fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates lost through exercise. Other drinks are designed to help athletes with carbohydrate loading before an event. When used as intended, sport drinks fit in with the simplest and most important part of any athlete's daily regimen -- maintaining proper hydration levels. The advantage that sport drinks have over plain water is that they not only quench thirst, but also refuel working muscles as well.

There are three different situations in which an athlete uses sports drinks, thus there are three basic differences in the formulations of these drinks:

* Carbohydrate-loading drinks -- used in the days leading up to a competition, they should provide 50 or more grams of carbohydrates per 8-oz. serving.

* Rehydrating or fluid replacement drinks used during exercise they should contain between 14-17 grams of carbohydrates per 8-oz. serving.

* Recovery drinks -- used after exercise, they offer a concentration of carbohydrates that falls in between the others and is supplemented with protein.

A great deal of research has been done on sports drinks, both to gauge their effectiveness and to find the optimal formulation for these beverages. When tested against placebos and plain water, results have repeatedly shown that athletes using sports drinks had a significant improvement in performance over those not using them. Studies have also shown that flavoring, sweetness and the presence of sodium chloride in sports drinks increased voluntary fluid intake.

This is a crucial feature, not only for optimizing performance, but also for preventing dehydration. When athletes begin exercise with a low volume of body water or neglect to replace water lost though sweat, they will soon feel the effects of dehydration. The most immediate symptoms of this include impaired cardiovascular function and impaired temperature regulation, both of which will lead to noticeable decreases in performance levels.

For exercise of a short duration (i.e., less than an hour), it's possible to replenish what the body loses through sweat with plain cool water. This is not to say that a sport drink will not provide an extra edge, but with proper training and eating habits, there should be enough energy stored as liver and muscle glycogen to power through the exercise. When exercise lasts longer than an hour, or optimum performance is critical, a sports drink will help.

In one study conducted on cyclists, they were instructed to ride at 80% of their maximum for 50 minutes and then sprint for 9-12 minutes. The subjects who drank enough water to replace 80% of their fluid losses (1,330 ml) experienced a 6% improvement over those who drank only 200 ml of water. However, those who drank 1,330 ml of a sports drink showed a 12% improvement in performance. From these results, the authors concluded that the benefits of hydration and additional carbohydrate intake were additive.

Another study on the effects of carbohydrate intake during exercise of longer duration showed that when a carbohydrate solution containing a combination of sucrose, glucose, fructose and maltodextrin was taken, exercise performance improved. Varying concentrations were tested and it was found that higher intake rates of up to 60-75 gs/hour produced the best results with no added performance benefit when subjects were given levels greater than that. It is crucial that athletes understand their carbohydrate needs in order to maximize the potential benefits they can gain from sports drinks.

CARB-LOADING DRINKS

Carbohydrate loading drinks were developed specifically for endurance athletes who need to store extra carbohydrates prior to a long event. The more carbohydrates an athlete can store, the longer he or she can delay the onset of fatigue. Carbo-loading drinks are used in the last three days prior to an event. The advantage that they have over traditional methods of carbo-loading is that they can provide the body with an easily absorbed source of carbs without all of the bulk found in traditional foods, such as pasta and rice. Aside from carbs, these drinks usually contain some fat and protein that mimics the nutritional composition of a meal. Look for them to provide about 200 calories and 50 or more grams of carbs per 8-oz. serving. A note of caution -- more than 3 gs of fat per serving could slow absorption and lead to dehydration.

FLUID REPLACEMENT DRINKS

The primary purpose of these drinks is to replenish the body's fluid supply. Fluid replacement drinks with a 7% carbohydrate solution work best for rehydrating and providing maximum sustained performance levels. Look for a ratio of 4:1 complex to simple carbs. The first ingredient on the label should be maltodextrin or glucose polymers, followed by fructose. Be cautious of less expensive sports drinks as well as fruit juices, since these have simple sugars that can upset blood sugar levels and cause dehydration.

RECOVERY DRINKS

Recovery drinks are designed to maximize post-exercise refueling of muscle glycogen. The results of recent studies have shown that protein synthesis is an important component of post-exercise muscle recovery. A unique function of recovery drinks is that they can supply the fatigued and depleted muscle with protein which may enhance that repair process, promoting greater recovery of muscle energy and muscle protein re-synthesis. If protein is not replaced soon after exercise, this may result in a loss of muscle mass and greatly delayed recovery time. The addition of amino acids also aids in cell repair and synthesis.

Recovery drinks should be used as soon as possible after exercising, since research shows that in the hours immediately following vigorous exercise, ingested carbs are converted into muscle glycogen at about 3 times the normal rate. It takes the body up to 48 hours to completely replace muscle glycogen stores, so it's important, especially for athletes training daily or participating in multi-day events, to take advantage of this opportunity to get a jump start on their recovery. An added benefit of these drinks is that the rapid repletion of muscle glycogen stores may help to prevent muscle soreness.

There's an easy formula to calculate how many grams of carbs an athlete needs to consume in a recovery drink - use 1/2 gram of carbs/pound of body weight. Thus, a 150-lb. person would need 75 g of carbs.

WHO SHOULD USE SPORTS DRINKS?

Endurance athletes -- such as cyclists, long distance runners and triathletes -- will benefit the most from the performance enhancing abilities of all three types of sports drinks. The carb content of rehydrating formulations makes them especially useful for people who either can not or do not want to break up a workout or race to take the time to eat solid food. They also provide an added advantage over solid forms of carbs, because the body can absorb them faster, thus they provide quicker energy. This makes them ideal for people involved in sporting tournaments who will play more than one game per day or over a period of days. The supplemental energy and electrolyte boost is crucial when athletic events don't allow for a normal meal schedule.

PICKING THE RIGHT ONE

The most important function of a sports drink is to enable the user to rapidly replace lost fluids and enhance performance. These drinks should contain no carbonation or caffeine, and provide just the right amount of carbs and electrolytes.

The carbs should come from a combination of glucose, sucrose and fructose. Avoid sport drinks that contain fructose as the only source of energy. Fructose can cause an upset stomach and is a slow energy source, since it must first be converted to glucose before it can be used by the body. This means that the energy derived from fructose will not be available to the body as quickly as energy coming from other carbs. Make sure that the carb content matches the needs of the individual athlete.

Electrolytes serve important regulatory functions within the body, so it's just as important to replace them as carbs. This should be done in proportion to the amount lost in sweat. Look for around 100 mg of sodium per 8-oz. serving -- an ideal amount to enhance taste, optimize absorption and maintain body fluids. The same is true of potassium, magnesium chloride and other minerals. Some or all of them should be present in a sports drink.

HOW MUCH TO DRINK AND WHEN

It is important for athletes to drink fluids before, during and after practice and competition. Under most circumstances, they should drink at least 16 oz. of fluid before sleeping on the night before exercise and at least another 16 oz. first thing in the morning to help ensure adequate hydration levels. They should also top off fluid stores by drinking at intervals of 1 hour and then 20 minutes before the exercise starts.

Carbo-loading drinks can be used the night before, but should be avoided in the hours before exercise. The large amounts of sugars they contain can slow down the stomach-emptying process and cause severe stomach distress, making exercise very uncomfortable. In the four hours directly preceding an event, athletes should stick with water or a diluted sports drink with low carb levels.

CONCLUSION

Energy and convenience are the main advantages of sports drinks. By helping athletes maintain proper hydration and allowing them to keep performing at optimum levels, sports drinks perform a critical function that is not easily duplicated with other foods. Sports drinks will offer the greatest benefits to athletes who use the type of beverage that best satisfies the demands of their sport.

Sports drinks may harm children: ; Researchers say extra calories contribute to obesity; young athletes should stick to just water - Charleston Daily Mail

Sports drinks aren't necessary for children and teenagers and arelikely to contribute to obesity, according to U.S. researchersurging parents to limit consumption of the beverages.

While adolescent athletes engaged in vigorous physical activitymay benefit from the carbohydrates and electrolytes provided bydrinks such as Gatorade and Powerade, researchers said water shouldbe the beverage of choice for hydration.

'For most children engaging in routine physical activity, plainwater is best,' Holly J. Benjamin, a co-author of the studypublished Monday in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academyof Pediatrics, said in a statement. 'Sports drinks contain extracalories that children don't need.'

Obesity in children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 rose in theUnited States to almost 17 percent in 2007-2008 from 5 percent in1971-1974, according to the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention in Atlanta. The number of all Americans who are obese hasremained constant since then, according to a January study by theCDC. Obesity, which is a measure of body mass index, contributes tohigher risk of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

Monday's study also focused on the effects of energy drinks thatcontain caffeine and other stimulants. These beverages can damagechildren and adolescents' neurologic and cardiovascular systems andshouldn't be consumed, said Benjamin, a University of Chicagoassociate professor of pediatrics and a physician specializing insports medicine, and Marcie Beth Schneider, a study co-author and apediatrician in Greenwich, Conn., specializing in adolescentmedicine.

Some energy drinks have more than 500 milligrams of caffeine, orthe equivalent of 14 cans of soda, Schneider said in a statement.Rockstar, made by Las Vegas-based Rockstar Inc., has 80 mg ofcaffeine per 8 ounce serving, more than twice the amount in the same-sized serving of Coca-Cola.

About 28 percent of children ages 12 to 14 regularly consumeenergy drinks, according to a study published in the March issue ofPediatrics.

Energy drink sales totaled $7.7 billion in 2010, an increase of8.9 percent from the year earlier, according to Beverage Digest, acompiler of data from drink makers and other sources. About $7billion, a 7.5 percent rise, was spent on sports drinks, whichcontain carbohydrates, electrolytes and sweeteners.

The authors recommended physicians educate children and parentson differences between sports and energy drinks and the potentialhealth risks.

'Some kids are drinking energy drinks - containing large amountsof caffeine - when their goal is simply to rehydrate afterexercise,' Schneider said. 'This means they are ingesting largeamounts of caffeine and other stimulants, which can be dangerous.'

In 2006, Coca-Cola, based in Atlanta, PepsiCo, based in Purchase,N.Y., and other beverage companies agreed to halt soft-drink salesin elementary and middle schools, according to the American BeverageAssociation. Sports drinks, diet soda and flavored waters are stillsold at high schools. The companies also agreed not to sell energydrinks at schools with kindergarten to 12th grades.

About 88 percent fewer beverage calories were shipped to schoolsfrom 2004 to 2009, according to the Washington-based association.

'Sports drinks have a long history of scientific research showingtheir benefits for hydration,' Maureen Storey, senior vice presidentof science policy for the ABA, said in an email. 'As with all foodand beverages, they should be consumed in moderation.'

Energy drinks 'are not intended for young consumers,' Storeyadded.

Coca-Cola and PepsiCo referred requests for comment to thebeverage association. Rockstar didn't respond to a request forcomment emailed to the company's general information box.

'If a child or adolescent is already inactive, overweight orobese, then the extra calories in the drink just worsen the weightissue because they can't burn off what they eat,' Benjamin said inan email. 'For an active young child that enjoys a Gatorade, sportsdrink, with sports, it's likely not a problem, but remember it is achoice then, it's not needed.'

AAP: children should avoid energy and sports drinks.(METABOLIC DISORDERS) - Family Practice News

Energy drinks have no place in a young person's diet, and sport drinks are useful only to student athletes who engage in prolonged, rigorous activity, according to a clinical report issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Water should be encouraged as the principal source of hydration for children and adolescents, the report concluded.

Too many children and adolescents consume both types of drinks without any knowledge of their potentially deleterious health effects (Pediatrics 2011; 127:1182-9). Carbohydrates and caffeine are the chief concerns in the beverages, according to the report.

'The total amount of caffeine contained in some cans or bottles of energy drinks can exceed 500 mg--equivalent to 14 cans of common caffeinated soft drinks--and is clearly high enough to result in caffeine toxicity. A lethal dose of caffeine is considered to be 200-400 mg/kg,' lead authors Dr. Marcie B. Schneider of in a private adolescent medicine practice in Greenwich, Conn., and Dr. Holly J. Benjamin of the University of Chicago wrote on behalf of the AAP.

Marketing of these products aims to convince young people that sports drinks containing electrolytes and carbohydrates are superior to water for hydration during exercise. Companies also advertise energy drinks as providing a healthy boost to physical and mental energy in children and teens. Neither claim is accurate, according to the report.

In assessing the composition of these drinks and their potential health effects, the authors reviewed literature published from 2000 through 2009. They concluded that carbohydrates are the chief concern in sports drinks.

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The average sports beverage contains 219 grams of carbohydrate, yielding up to 270 calories per serving. 'This excessive caloric intake can substantially increase the risk for overweight and obesity in children and adolescents and should be avoided.' Sports drinks are also often highly acidic, with a pH of 3-4. Continuous consumption of acidic drinks can contribute to dental erosion, the report stated.

Proponents of sports drinks tout the electrolyte, vitamin, and mineral content as beneficial, especially during, and after, exercise. Although these may benefit some student athletes engaged in prolonged, vigorous exercise, most don't need such replenishment, the report said. 'For most children and adolescents, daily electrolyte requirements are met sufficiently by a healthy balanced diet; therefore, sports drinks offer little to no advantage over plain water.'

Young people should be taught that water is the best beverage before, during, and after exercise. Even 'muscle recovery' sports drinks, which contain forms of protein, are not really beneficial.

'Heavily marketed effects of specific amino acids in sports drinks have not been supported by appropriate clinical trials,' according to the report.

While sports drinks may simply be unhelpful sources of added calories, energy drinks may actually be dangerous if consumed in large quantities, they said. Caffeine is molecularly similar to adenosine and can replace it in cell receptors. 'The effects of caffeine on various organ systems include increases in heart rate, blood pressure, speech rate, motor activity, attentiveness, gastric secretion, diuresis, and temperature,' the report stated. Sleep disturbance and anxiety are also side effects of caffeine consumption.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers confirms these findings. In 2005, the association reported that its centers had fielded more than 4,600 calls about caffeine. ''Of these calls, 2,600 included patients younger than 19 years, and 2,345 patients required treatment, although the number of pediatric patients who required treatment was not defined,' according to the report.

Energy drinks may also contain other stimulants touted as 'natural,' including guarana, a plant extract that itself contains caffeine. 'The presence of guarana in an energy drink is a cause for concern, because it increases the total caffeine level in the beverage,' the report said.

Unfortunately, while banning the sale of soft drinks, many schools now offer sports and energy drinks for sale. 'The trade group representing beverage manufacturers reported that sports drinks increased their market share in schools from 14.6% in 2004 to 20% in the 20062007 school year.'' During the same period, the market share for full-calorie sodas decreased from 40% to 30%.

Family physicians are in a unique place to educate both children and parents about the health issues associated with the beverages. 'As part of each yearly check-up, it is important for pediatric health care providers to review a patient's nutritional status and quantify physical activity. Routine questions that specifically address the use of sports and energy drinks are recommended,' the report said.

This is also an opportunity to educate parents. 'Parents may be unaware [that their children are drinking these beverages] or they may in fact, promote their use, which opens the door to provide education about these drinks for both patients and their parents,' according to the report.

Dr. Lillian Beard, a pediatrician at the National Children's Medical Center in Washington, and who also has a private practice in Silver Spring, Md., firmly agrees with the screening recommendation. 'Simply inquiring about beverage choices during the annual physical examination discussion offers a tremendous opportunity to inform our patient families on the real deal with sports and energy drinks,' she said in an interview.

All authors have filed conflict of interest statements with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Any conflicts have been resolved through a process approved by the Board of Directors.

Dr. Beard said she had no relevant financial disclosures.

BY MICHELE G. SULLIVAN

When Water Isn't Enough // Sports Drinks Replace Body's Depleted Fluids - Chicago Sun-Times

People who exercise at a high intensity for more than 30 minutesshould consume a sports drink rather than plain water to rehydratetheir bodies most efficiently, concluded experts at a recent AmericanCollege of Sports Medicine roundtable.

'These beverages replace not only fluids lost during exercise,but also depleted energy stores and electrolytes,' notes CarlGisolfi, professor of exercise science at the University of Iowa andchairman of the meeting held at ACSM headquarters in Indianapolis.'Especially in the case of prolonged exercise, oral rehydrationsolutions optimize the body's ability to absorb water andcarbohydrates.'

While the panelists recommended commercially available sportsdrinks for their precise scientific formulation, some nutritionistsargue that home-made beverages, such as diluted fruit juice, areacceptable for most people.

'Ordinary mortals don't have to spend lots of money on expensivesports drinks,' says Boston sports nutritionist Nancy Clark. 'Ifyou're an athlete with a capital A, sports drinks will replace sweatlosses the fastest. But most recreational athletes will do fine withwater and fruit juice.'

Sports drinks also are 'more palatable (than water) so peoplewill drink more,' adds physiologist Ronald Maughan of the Universityof Aberdeen in Scotland. 'Adults and children must be encouraged todrink before, during and after exercise' to boost performance, reducethe risk of dehydration and heat illness and aid in recovery fromactivity. Because each person's physiology and exer cise goals are unique, Maughan says, 'there's no ideal oralrehydration solution that fits all needs.'

A basic, all-purpose sports drink should contain a small amountof sodium, which stimulates carbohydrate and water absorption, andbetween 5 percent to 8 percent carbohydrate. Beverages with higher levels ofcarbohydrate, such as sodas, are not as quickly absorbed.

Experiment with a variety of sports drinks to find the one thatworks best for you, said experts at the conference. Weigh yourselfbefore and after exercise to estimate how much you need to drink; foreach pound lost during activity, drink a pint (two cups) of fluid.

In hot weather, it's also important to consume some salty foodsunless you're on a sodium-restricted diet.

'Many health-conscious people avoid salt without reason,' Clarksays. 'You don't have to add salt to your food, but if you have asalt craving grab a handful of pretzels.' This is particularlyimportant for weekend warriors who may not be acclimatized to theheat; they lose more salt in their sweat than people who exerciseoutdoors regularly, she notes in Nancy Clark's Sports NutritionGuidebook.

And while the old rule about drinking eight, 8-ounce glasses ofwater a day is fine for most people, it may be insufficient for thevery active.

'The goal is never to experience thirst,' says Ann Grandjean,director of the International Center for Sports Nutrition in Omaha,Neb. 'If you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated. Losing aslittle as 2 (percent) to 3 percent of your body weight by sweat cancause a decrease in concentration, coordination, strength andstamina.'

If you don't consume enough fluids during exercise, notesRunner's World nutrition columnist Liz Applegate, 'your bloodthickens, making it tough for your heart to pump efficiently andcheating your muscles of needed oxygen.'

In her book, Power Foods, she offers these hydration hints: Start the day with 8 to 16 ounces of water and take water breaksevery 30 to 45 minutes until bedtime. Tank up with 8 to 20 ounces of water about 15 minutes before workingout. Drink large amounts of water 24 to 36 hours before competition. Drink water or a sports drink during your workout. After exercise, down several cups of water or sports drink.

'Drink more in warm weather, during travel and at higheraltitudes,' writes Applegate, who says illness, sunburn and dietingalso create a need for more fluid.

DROWNING IN SPORTS DRINKS.(DAILY BREAK) - The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)

Byline: CHRISTINA THAMES THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT

YOU'RE about to leave for soccer practice when you open the refrigerator to grab a drink. Gatorade and water stare back at you. Which one should you choose?

Should you pass up both of them and head for the PowerAde machines near the field instead? Which beverage will really help your game and keep you hydrated?

These are questions that many athletic teens face every day, and with so many choices on the market, it can be tough to decide. Sports drinks such as Gatorade and PowerAde boast carbohydrates and B vitamins, while water holds appeal as being the beverage of choice for thousands of years. Then there are the hybrids: flavored waters, such as Gatorade's Propel. Other waters claim they provide more oxygen for a working body.

Cox High School freshman Alexi Achilleos, 14, is a member of the Olympic Developmental Program for soccer. He says even though Gatorade sponsors much of the Program, the guys are all given water to drink on the soccer field. Alexi admits to drinking Gatorade at home, but he agrees with Whitney Tripp, 15, a sophomore who cheers and plays tennis for Deep Creek High School. ``Sports drinks only make you more thirsty.''

Tennis player Heather Walton, 15, a sophomore at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy, only drinks water.

``My coach recommends Gatorade, because it keeps you from getting dehydrated, but I just don't like it. Most of the other girls on my team drink Gatorade, though.''

Many teen athletes end up dehydrated, not because of what they drink, but because they fail to drink enough fluid at all. Once a person actually begins to feel thirst after athletic activity, his body has already started to dehydrate. So health professionals emphasize that it's important to drink two cups of liquid two hours before playing sports, and to continue to hydrate with one-half cup every 15 minutes or so. You should also continue to replace fluids in your body even after you have finished exercising.

Cool liquids are best, because they absorb into the body and refuel working cells faster. Basic water is a perfectly acceptable fluid replacement, particularly for workouts less than 60 minutes because it absorbs faster than any other substance.

Water will always work to keep you hydrated, but if maintaining a high-performance level is important, a sports drink with extra carbohydrates may be helpful.

``I find if I'm doing a long workout - say over an hour of cardio - I feel better if I get something in my body like Gatorade or Propel,'' said Devin Miller, 16, a junior at Norfolk Academy.

``I prefer the taste of Propel to water and Gatorade or other full-calorie sports drinks. Propel has the right amount of sweetness, but it doesn't have a lot of calories.''

Gregory Manuel, 15, a freshman at Norfolk Collegiate, agrees. ``Propel is a light fluid that quenches like water and gives you energy in 10 seconds.''

Gregory drinks Propel when he plays soccer and basketball, but he finds he can get away with drinking Gatorade - a heavier liquid that is ``like a healthy soft drink that doesn't really do anything'' - when he plays slower-paced baseball.

Whatever sports drink you choose should contain less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per 8 ounces, experts say. Any more than this will cause your body to have a hard time absorbing the liquid. Also, the drink should contain no carbonation, alcohol or caffeine. Most sports drinks are comparable to one another and meet these basic requirements, with the exception of AllSport, which is carbonated.

Carbohydrates aside, some of the other aspects of sports drinks will not necessarily enhance athletic performance. According to WebMd.com, the B vitamins in PowerAde really are just ``extras'' - you can normally get all the B vitamins you need in your daily diet, if you eat fairly healthly. Also, there is disagreement as to whether or not oxygenated water really does so much more for your body than regular water.

The greatest noticeable difference between plain water and sports drinks is that sports drinks have a pronounced flavor. This is the deciding factor for many athletes. If they like the taste better, they will drink more fluid, more often which is what their bodies need.

Such is the case with baseball player Matthew Whitlock, 16, a junior at Norfolk Academy. ``I drink water at home, but Gatorade for sports, because it has a great taste and it keeps me going.''

Working out a new strategy: sports drinks target serious athletes to rehydrate sales.(Category Focus) - Beverage Industry

WITH MOUNTING PRESSURE FROM COMPETITORS LIKE ENHANCED WATERS and functional juices, sports drinks will refocus their sights in 2010 from casual gym goers to the serious athletes that made their brands famous, analysts say

'Enhanced waters and protein drinks have really started to encroach on sports drinks' territory,' says Sarah Theodore, an analyst at Mintel International, Chicago. 'For a long time, sports drinks were all about hydration, and it was all about finding the right balance of liquids and carbohydrates to hydrate the body as quickly as possible.'

The industry is more segmented now, primarily between casual exercisers who do not want to consume additional calories and intense athletes who are looking for protein to build muscle, Theodore says.

Total sales of non-aseptic sports drinks fell by 8.8 percent to $3.3 billion for the 52 weeks ending Feb. 21, in U.S. food, drug, gas, convenience and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart, according to SymphonyIRI Group Inc., Chicago.

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The sports drinks category is not anticipated to recover much in 2010, Mintel reports. Sports drinks are expected to grow volume about 1 percent, Theodore says. From 2010 to 2013, the research firm predicts annual growth between 0.2 and 0.3 percent.

Overall, The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, which owns Powerade, saw sales of its non-aseptic sports drinks stay flat at about $653.8 million for the year ending Feb. 21, SymphonyIRI says. Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo's Gatorade represents nearly 80 percent of the total market for sports drinks, and the company's sales fell by 10.7 percent during the same time period, SymphonyIRI reports.

Gatorade's category dominance comes largely from being first to market, Theodore says, but is aided by strong marketing that includes marquee athletes across multiple sports.

'Any time you talk about sports drinks, obviously, Gatorade is the main player there,' she says. 'They've really done a lot of work to reposition that brand toward core athletes. ... They've kind of decided that they're going to go after those really serious athletes who are really looking for several different kinds of benefits from sports drinks.'

Although Gatorade is far and away the market leader, Powerade made a push last year with its reformulated Powerade Ion4. Now, The Coca-Cola Co. has launched its first global integrated marketing campaign for the Powerade product online at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, an international soccer tournament. The 'Keep Playing' campaign will feature Powerade on the sidelines of the soccer pitch during the World Cup and in a series of YouTube videos that show what happens in the human body during different physical and mental scenarios of a soccer match.

SPORTS DRINK REVOLUTION

In addition to new marketing campaigns, sports drink makers are introducing new innovations. In March, PepsiCo announced at its shareholders meeting the company's plans to overhaul its Gatorade line with a three-step system of workout drinks in both a regular and professional series. Previously, PepsiCo offered its G Series Pro pre- and post-workout drinks only to professional athletes.

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The pre-workout drink, Gatorade Prime 01, packs carbohydrates into a 4-ounce pouch. Gatorade Perform 02 includes Gatorade Thirst Quencher, reframed within the G Series, and the low-calorie G2. Gatorade Perform 02 products are designed to rehydrate athletes and replace electrolytes during workouts. Packed with protein and carbohydrates in a 16.9-ounce bottle, Gatorade Recover 03 will help muscles recover from a workout, the company says.

The company also has reformulated the sweeteners it uses in Gatorade Thirst Quencher and G2 and introduced natural versions of both drinks at select Whole Foods Markets.

The company also announced another new product, G Series Pro, a more intense version of the G Series available exclusively through GNC stores beginning this month. The Pro formula, which debuted on the sidelines of the Super Bowl, previously was available only to professional athletes, but now will be available to the public.

'Up to now, we have kept these products in the locker room, but the compatibility between G Series Pro athletes and GNC customers persuaded us that this is a product line of genuine interest to those looking to go pro,' said Sarah Robb O'Hagan, chief marketing officer of Gatorade, in a statement.

The release of the G Series and G Series Pro line of sports drinks will better leverage the company to compete with fortified beverages and protein drinks, says Alison Lipson, market analyst for Euromonitor International, Chicago.

'Pepsi is still really focused on marketing,' she says. 'They're still introducing new products, and they're trying to encourage consumers to return to the category and focusing on their core users. ... Their core users--the athletes and people who are more active--are helping to sustain some of the growth.'

The shift in focus comes after a year of rebranding that 'confused customers' and ultimately hurt Gatorade's bottom line, Lipson says. Last year, Gatorade rebranded its main lineup as G and G2 for a lower calorie option.

'I think a lot of consumers were confused about the G and G2 rebranding, but even though consumers have started to shy away, I don't think the company has given up on it,' Lipson says. 'I think especially in difficult economic times, people aren't always accepting of change. They're looking for things that are more comforting and more familiar.'

Gatorade also discontinued its Tiger Focus sports drink late last year, citing its plans to streamline its brands in 2010. The drink, named after golfer Tiger Woods, placed on SymphonyIRI's list of top food and beverage brands of 2009 as it accumulated about $65 million in sales in food, drug and mass merchandise retailers, excluding Wal-Mart, the market research company reports.

The increase in competition for casual exercisers likely pushed PepsiCo to pursue changes to its Gatorade line, Mintel's Theodore says. 'They've realized that they are really about the serious athlete,' she says.

Coconut water also is emerging as a competitor to sports drinks because it is an all-natural alternative that provides some of the same re-hydration properties and electrolytes as traditional sports drinks, Theodore says.

One Natural Experience, Los Angeles, is set to release its Active line of coconut water-based sports drinks in June. The drink, which is formulated with coconut water and natural herbs and minerals, will come in three varieties: Grape Berry, Lemon Lime and Cranberry Grapefruit, the company says. It will be packaged in 16.9-ounce ready-to-drink Tetra Pak cartons with twist caps.

'I think coconut water is kind of one of the hot beverage categories that we'll be seeing this year overall,' Theodore says. 'But also within sports drinks, I think that it's really going to appeal to a lot of the same people who already are looking at sports drinks.'

LOW CAL, HIGH SALES

Lower calorie options that picked up steam in 2010, such as Gatorade's G2 and Powerade Zero, will continue to gain market share, analysts say, as health-conscious consumers turn to those options over higher calorie sports drinks.

'I think it's going to be greater emphasis on health and wellness as well as renewed focus on some of the core products to help consumers return to the category that may have left because of the economy,' Lipson says.

Facing competition from low-calorie functional waters, Lipson says sports drink makers are highlighting the benefits of their products with renewed vigilance.

'They're calling out some of the vitamins that are in there, some of the benefits of the electrolytes, that help consumers understand why it's good for them or why it's a choice that they want to make,' she says. 'I think that sports drinks can compete. I just think it will be a little different than in years past because there are so many new products out there that they're competing with.'

G2 saw sales increase 15.8 percent to $368.3 million, but it still remains a fraction of the company's flagship Gatorade line, which brought in $1.2 billion, in the year ending Feb. 21, SymphonyIRI reports.

Powerade Zero sales increased by about 50 percent to about $98.6 million during the year ending Feb. 21, SymphonyIRI reports, and Powerade Ion4, the reformulated flagship product for Powerade, saw sales jump to about $416.6 million.

Losing weight or maintaining weight is likely the biggest reason that people give for exercising, Theodore says. 'I think there's a real opportunity for sports drink makers to really kind of go after that group that is really exercising to maintain their weight or even lose weight,' she says.

To capitalize on the growing calorie-conscious demographic, Gatorade plans to lower the number of calories in G2 from 25 to 20 per serving, Lipson says.

'G2 was the bright spot and actually helped overall sales improve because it was new and consumers were looking for healthier options and finding products that would meet their replenishment or active needs as well as being lower in calorie or lower in sugar,' Lipson says. 'I still think there's a market out there for the core athletes that aren't as concerned with lower sugar or lower sodium, but I think the average users who are kind of non-core athletes--people who just like the taste or people who are just looking for a different kind of beverage--probably will help grow the lower calorie brands like Powerade Zero and G2.'

In that vein, Lipson says that some sports drink makers have changed the sweeteners they use in drinks and have lowered sodium and sugar content. Lipson predicts sports drink makers will use more stevia, cane sugar and other low-calorie sweetener alternatives.

Offer alternatives to energy and sports drinks.(CLINICAL ROUNDS) - Pediatric News

FROM THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

SAN FRANCISCO -- The light bulb went off in Dr. Michele LaBotz's head soon after she watched a TV reality show in which a mother encouraged her 6-year-old daughter to down three cans of Red Bull energy drink before a competition.

Dr. LaBotz was laughing about this example of bad parenting with the mother of a high-school-age girl who then admitted that her daughter was ''down to two cans a day' of Red Bull.

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That revelation prompted Dr. LaBotz to take a closer look at the use of these stimulant-containing drinks and at a related category--sports drinks.

There are no standard definitions, but energy drinks are beverages containing carbohydrates, stimulants, and often other ingredients--Red Bull being the 800-pound gorilla on the $11 billion market in energy drinks. Sports drinks are beverages containing some combination of carbohydrates and electrolytes, with Gatorade claiming 75% market share.

The 'crime' is that these products are found in stores side-by-side with products categorized as food, which are subject to stricter safety standards, said Dr. LaBotz of Portland, Me.

Red Bull contains 80 mg of caffeine per 8-ounce can, more than twice as much as in a 12-ounce can of Coca-Cola. Other brands are packaged in larger sizes to get around caffeine regulations or condensed into super-caffeine 'energy shots' containing 200-350 mg of caffeine per 1-2 ounces.

Young athletes think these products will improve performance in sports or other parts of their lives, but new data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that will be published in the December issue of the Journal of Alcohol & Drug Education says that reality is flipped. Sport psychology consultant Conrad Woolsey, Ph.D., of Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, and his associates will report that energy drinks make users feel like they're doing better even though they're making more mistakes on tests of coordination and multidimensional skills.

Sports drinks are a bit more benign, but too often take the place of healthier alternatives, potentially depriving young athletes of the nutrients their bodies need to prepare for or recover from exercise. The only time they might be convenient is during exercise lasting longer than an hour, when kids need more fluids and the bright colors, sweetness, and saltiness of sports drinks may entice them to stay hydrated, Dr. LaBotz said.

Physicians should ask about use of sports and energy drinks and be prepared to educate young athletes about healthy alternatives, she added. Dr. LaBotz likes the AAP's 'Sports Shorts #6' on ''Nutrition and Sports,' and the useful handouts available on the Web from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, such as the 'Joy of Sport.'

She urges physicians to take a strong stand against child and adolescent use of energy drinks but suggests not overplaying the dangers of caffeine, especially when talking to parents who may be regular caffeine users themselves.

Dr. LaBotz offered practical alternatives to meet young athletes' needs for fluids and fuel.

* Before exercise: A 40-kg athlete (88 pounds) should eat a full lunch and have a snack 1 hour before afternoon exercise. A banana provides the same amount of carbohydrates as a 20-ounce sports drink. The goal is to bolster blood glucose and muscle glycogen by getting 4 g of carbohydrates per tog of body weight 3-4 hours before exercise and 0.5-1 g/kg around an hour before exercise.

A 40-kg athlete also should drink 3-6 ounces of 'water, milk, or other nutritive beverages' 1-2 hours before exercise (or 6-12 ounces for larger athletes), she said.

* During exercise: Children tend to not drink enough while exercising, but they often drink more if fluids are enhanced by color, flavor, or sodium, giving sports drinks a potential role. Drinking 5 ounces of fluids (for a 40-kg athlete) or 8 ounces (for a 60-kg athlete) every 20 minutes should be sufficient.

For exercise lasting longer than an hour, adding carbohydrates during exercise appears to be beneficial, aiming for 0.7 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight per hour. For a 40-kg athlete, that translates into one banana, a 3-inch bagel, three Fig Newtons, or a 16-ounce sports drink.

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* After exercise: Bodily fluid loss from exercise is highly variable, so encourage parents to weigh young athletes before and after practice. For every pound lost, try to get them to drink 16-24 ounces of their choice of fluids. Eating salt along with that or adding salt to the liquid can help get them to drink.

Replenish muscle glycogen by ingesting 1-1.5 g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight immediately after a workout, and ideally repeated 2 and 4 hours later. For a 40-kg athlete, that's 40-60 g of carbohydrates, which can be had from a bagel with peanut butter, two or three 'trail mix' bars, or 1-1.5 cups of apple juice. Three to four cups of sports drink would be needed to match this, she said.

Study Finds Teens Think Sports Drinks Are Healthy; But marketing these beverages as healthful doesn't make them so, experts say.(a research by the University of Texas) - Consumer Health News (English)

Byline: Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Sept. 27 (HealthDay News) -- There is a popular misconception that because sports drinks and other noncarbonated beverages are associated with physical activity they must be healthy, University of Texas researchers report.

In a study of more than 15,000 middle and high school students throughout Texas, researchers found that kids who drank sugar-sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, were more likely than kids who didn't to eat unhealthy foods and watch more TV than those who did not. However, students who drank sports beverages were more likely than soda drinkers to exercise and consume fruits, vegetables and milk -- suggesting they viewed sports drinks as healthy.

'Adolescents and their parents need to be educated that consumption of large amounts of flavored and sports beverages is not consistent with a healthy lifestyle,' said lead researcher Nalini Ranjit, an assistant professor of health promotion and behavioral sciences at the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living at the University of Texas School of Public Health in Austin.

'Adolescents who engage in an otherwise reasonably healthy lifestyle with lots of physical activity and a healthy diet still consume large amounts of sugar-sweetened beverages in the form of flavored and sports beverages,' she added. 'We believe that this is due to successful marketing that has led consumers to see these beverages as healthy.'

The report is published in the Sept. 27 online edition of Pediatrics.

For the study, Ranjit's team collected data on 15,283 middle and high school students throughout Texas. Of these students, 22 percent of the boys and 17 percent of the girls were obese.

Although regular soda consumption has been linked to weight gain, the researchers found that 83 percent of boys and 78 percent of girls had consumed one or more sugar-sweetened beverages the previous day, and 28 percent reported drinking three or more sodas or sports drinks a day.

The researchers looked at consumption of sodas and noncarbonated flavored and sports beverages and their association with eating unhealthy foods like sugary desserts, fried meats and fried snacks like chips and French fries. They also looked at how these drinks were associated with consumption of healthy foods like vegetables, fruit and milk.

In addition, they examined the association of these drinks with physical activity and participation in sports and also with sedentary activities, such as watching TV, using the computer and playing video games.

In this study of 8th and 11th grade students in Texas, drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with unhealthy diet and physical activity behaviors like consuming fried meats and chips, Ranjit said. Kids who drank sugar-sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, were more likely to engage in sedentary behaviors like watching TV, using the computer and playing video games. Those who drank soda were also less likely to participate in organized sports, school PE or vigorous physical activity, and to drink less milk and eat less fruits and vegetables than those who did not.

'However, the most interesting finding was that students who drink flavored and sports beverages such as punch, Koolaid and Gatorade are also more likely to engage in higher levels of physical activity as well as consume fruits, vegetables and milk. This association was not seen with children who drink regular soda,' she said.

Samantha Heller, a dietitian, nutritionist, exercise physiologist and clinical nutrition coordinator at the Center for Cancer Care at Griffin Hospital, in Derby, Conn., commented that 'there is confusion among kids and adults as to when consuming sweetened beverages is appropriate.'

'Sports drinks, for example, are important for young athletes who are training or competing at intense levels or exercising in the heat. But drinking sports drinks and other sweetened drinks at the computer or with lunch just adds nonnutritive calories and can pack on pounds,' she added.

Nonetheless, these drinks are marketed as healthy alternatives to soda, Heller said.

'Some have added vitamins, antioxidants or herbs and the front label shouts out claims that this drink can boost the immune system, increase metabolism or fight disease,' she said. 'It is understandable that people are drinking them in place of soda and water believing they are healthy. For most of us, most of the time, plain water is the best way to maintain hydration.'

More information

PROBING QUESTION: ARE SPORTS DRINKS BETTER THAN WATER FOR ATHLETES? - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

Pennsylvania State University issued the following news release:

After finishing a long run in the heat of a July afternoon, you're thirsty, your muscles are weak, you feel generally fatigued, and you may have a minor headache. Your body is telling you that it needs to be rehydrated, so you grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator. It's cold and refreshing, but how well is that H2O replenishing the nutrients you lost during your workout? According to W. Larry Kenney, Penn State professor of physiology and kinesiology, a bottle of a sports drink like Gatorade may be a better choice.

'Sports drinks have extra ingredients that are not found in water,' Kenney explained. 'Electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are the most important additives, and carbohydrates are a close second.'

Electrolytes are physiologically important substances that regulate the body's hydration, and nerve and muscle function, he added. During exercise, the body sweats to limit the rise in body temperature. This process keeps the body cool, but results in loss of fluid. 'Sports drinks are designed to replenish electrolytes lost while sweating,' he said.

The amount of fluid lost varies tremendously between individuals, Kenney noted, and is dependent upon exercise intensity and duration, temperature and humidity, and the type of clothing one wears. 'Heavy sweaters can lose up to three pounds per hour,' he said, and advised weighing oneself both before and after exercise. 'The goal is to maintain your baseline body weight.'

'There is another reason for adding electrolytes like sodium,' Kenney said. 'Think of a bartender who offers free pretzels and peanuts - he wants you to drink more. The salt in sports drinks helps to maintain thirst.' He continued, 'If you drink plain water until you no longer feel thirsty, you've most likely not replenished all lost fluids.'

As for the importance of carbohydrates in sports drinks, Kenney says that these sugars provide energy during prolonged exercise. Recent studies have shown that readily available carbs may not only benefit marathon runners and triathlon athletes.

'We tested the effect of sports drinks on youth basketball players and found that the carbohydrate-containing beverage improved sprinting and delayed fatigue,' he explained. 'More unexpectedly, the kids sunk more baskets while consuming sports drinks.' Kenney said that this discovery suggests the ability of carbohydrates to improve cognitive function and maintain focus as well as limit fatigue.

Though some experts believe that sugars such as high fructose corn syrup have health drawbacks, Kenney says that the type of carbohydrate used in sports drinks doesn't matter. 'Glucose, sucrose and fructose yield the same results when the body breaks them down,' he said. However, he warns that fructose may upset some stomachs and so should be used with caution.

Like salt, sugar also is added for flavor appeal. 'The rationale of flavor is a science in and of itself,' said Kenney. 'The goal of sports drink manufacturers is to determine what tastes best when you're hot and sweaty.'

Sports drinks aren't needed for all types of activity, Kenney acknowledged. 'Water is fine for low-intensity and non-endurance athletes whose priority is not carbohydrate replacement.'

But for those extreme athletes who sustain physical activity for more than four hours at a time, Kenney said, the sodium in sports drinks can be helpful in warding off a condition called 'hyponatremia.' Also referred to as water intoxication and much rarer than dehydration or heat exhaustion, 'hyponatremia occurs when excess water dilutes the sodium in the body,' he explained. 'The prototype person at risk is an endurance or ultra-endurance athlete - typically someone who is smaller and slower than the average,' he continued. 'This athlete consumes excessive amounts of water during exercise and inadequately replaces sodium.' Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and swelling of hands and feet. Such a serious disturbance in electrolyte levels may lead to cardiac or neurological complications -such as swelled brain cells - if not immediately treated. 'The key message is not to excessively underdrink or overdrink,' Kenney said.

A good rule of thumb, he suggests, is to choose sports drinks over water if you plan to participate in 45 minutes or more of high-intensity activity. 'It's important to drink before, during and after activity,' he adds. 'You should drink one hour before a workout to give your kidneys time to dispose of excess fluid. And if possible, you should consume every 15 to 20 minutes during a workout. Most importantly, drink enough afterwards to replace all losses within the first two hours.'

'It really depends on the situation,' Kenney said. Water is a sufficient hydrator after riding your bike around the neighborhood or jogging through the park, but the extra ingredients in a sports drink will more successfully refuel your body after that long run. He added, 'The longer the activity, the more important sports drinks become.'

W. Larry Kenney is professor of physiology and kinesiology in the College of Health and Human Development. He can be reached at w7k@psu.edu via e-mail.

For more Probing Questions and other features about research at Penn State, subscribe to Research Penn State at http://www.rps.psu.edu/cgi-bin/subscribe.cgi online.Contact: Emily Rowlands, 814/865-3477, ejr159@psu.edu.

REFUELING YOUR SYSTEM SPORTS DRINKS REPLACE NUTRIENTS THAT WATER CAN'T.(Spotlight on Health & Fitness) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)

Byline: Jenny Deam News Staff Writer

In the early 1960s, football coaches at the University of Florida had a problem. Their team, the Gators, was fading in the second half of games. Small wonder, considering the heavy gear they wore and the sweltering tropical heat.

The coaches turned to university medical and science departments for help. Researchers began analyzing players' sweat and found they were losing enormous amounts of nutrients. So in 1965, Dr. Robert Cade concocted a drink made basically of the sodium, potassium and carbohydrates the athletes were sweating away. It became the team's secret weapon. It was called Gatorade.

Legend goes that the earliest batches tasted rather vile, so one of the coaches' wives added lemon flavoring to make it go down a bit easier. By the 1966 season, the Florida Gators became known as a ``second-half team.'' When they beat Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day, losing coach Bobby Dodd told a Sports Illustrated reporter, ``We didn't have Gatorade.''

It's the kind of story that spin doctors in corporate public relations departments can only dream about. ``This brand was raised on science and PR,'' said Andy Harrow, a spokesman for Gatorade.

Today, Gatorade - the original formula first bought in 1967 by Stokley-Van Camp and taken over in 1983 by Quaker Oats - commands 80 percent of the sports-drink market and continues to grow right along with the nation's fitness craze. It's a fixture on National Football League sidelines and at other sports events. The image of athletic prowess seems completely intertwined with a cup of the neon-colored liquid.

But is a sports drink really necessary?

Nutritionists and sports-medicine experts are mixed on the answer.

Much depends on who's doing the drinking. For some casual and recreational athletes, good old-fashioned water will probably work fine.

If, however, you're pushing your body for longer than an hour at a time or if your body is already low on carbohydrates and fluids, you really do need the kind of nutrient replacement supplied by noncarbonated, non-caffeinated sports drinks.

Coca-Cola and Pepsi have also jumped on the sports-drink bandwagon, introducing their own versions, called Powerade and All Sport, respectively, which, like Gatorade, fall between the recommended concentration of 5 percent to 9 percent sugar. Too much sugar will sit in your stomach and not be absorbed into your bloodstream for energy.

The key, be it a sports drink or tap water, is rehydrating the body. That's especially important when exercising in warm weather or in dry climates like Colorado's. And typically, most of us don't get enough or get the wrong kind of liquids.

``The rule of thumb is: If you're thirsty, it's too late,'' said Lee Gray, an athletic trainer for University Sports Medicine who works with athletes at the University of Colorado and the University of Denver.

Dehydration can lead to muscle cramping and decreased performance. It is also the first indicator of more serious conditions, such as potentially fatal heatstroke.

Guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine say that you should drink about 16 ounces of liquid two hours before exercising, adding another 8 to 16 ounces 15 minutes before on especially warm days. During exercise, you should drink 4 to 6 ounces every 15 minutes. Once your workout is complete, you should drink 16 to 20 ounces for each pound you lost.

``The `after' is very, very important,'' said Amy Roberts, a physiologist at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine.

``The worst thing in the world you can do is to drink alcohol or a caffeinated beverage,'' Gray said. Both are diuretics, which can actually dehydrate you more.

Some sports drinks are better than others. Gray and Roberts advise against those with fructose, a type of sugar, because they can cause stomach cramping.

But what about water? It's been around the longest; isn't it the best?

Again, it depends on the person and the situation. You can run a marathon and rehydrate only with water, but you probably won't make the best time and may feel lousy afterward, said Tracy Horton, an assistant professor at the Center for Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

The biggest problem with water, experts say, is that most people won't drink enough of it to truly rehydrate their bodies. Studies have shown that, given the choice, most people, especially children, will go for a beverage that has some taste.

The other problem is that many exercisers work out without adequate nutrition beforehand, especially those who exercise in the morning. Roberts calls it operating ``without fuel in the tank.'' That's why drinks infused with added carbohydrates are important, she said.

Still, athletes have been around a lot longer than sports drinks have. The latter are a relatively new - and extremely lucrative - phenomenon. The difference these days, the experts say, is that most recreational athletes don't have training tables set before them, as did the sports teams of yesteryear.

It helps to have someone riding herd on our habits.

Becky Unger, a former mountain-bike tour guide who works at Wheat Ridge Cyclery, said she used to insist that people on her rides drink an energy sports drink before they left, during lunch and after they finished. In addition, she pushed them to drink water in between.

She said that as a tour guide, she felt responsible for the health and safety of her riders. ``Heatstroke in the middle of nowhere? Really bad,'' she said.

Still, it was often hard to push fluids, because people would forget to drink or be bored with plain water. Sometimes she would add mint to bottles of water to get them to drink more.

``On a long day,'' she said, ``if I wasn't really militant about them drinking, I would have a lot of people sitting in the sag wagon by the end'' - the truck that follows the pack, picking up stragglers.

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Color Photo (2)

Sammy Sosa of the Chicago Cubs douses himself with water during a game against the Rockies last week. When it comes to drinking fluids, though, athletes often turn to sports drinks. By Joe Mahoney / News Staff Photographer.

Water or Sports Drinks?; Fluids to Hydrate and Give You the Competitive Edge - The Washington Post

When it comes to fueling yourself for activity, most sportsnutritionists agree that the single most important item to consumeis fluid.

'To perform at your peak, you've got be as hydrated as you canbe,' says William J. Evans, chief of the Human Physiology Laboratoryat the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.'Even small amounts of dehydration can cause a decrease inperformance.'

But whether to drink plain water or one of the scientificallyformulated sports drinks now flooding the market is the source ofcontroversy. Sports-drink proponents claim these beverages aresuperior replacement fluids because they replenish the water lostthrough vigorous exercise and also supply carbohydrates andelectrolytes. But some nutritionists argue that commercial sportsdrinks are little more than glorified sugar water and that plainwater - plus a splash of fruit juice if desired - is a cheaper andbetter choice for most active people.

The granddaddy of sports drinks is Gatorade, invented in 1965 atthe University of Florida for the school's football team, theGators. Gatorade is 6 percent carbohydrate, in the form of sugarssucrose and glucose, that provides energy for working muscles.Sports drinks are superior to other carbohydrate-rich beverages,such as soda or fruit juice, contends The Gatorade Co., since theseother beverages contain concentrations greater than 10 percentcarbohydrate and are not as quickly absorbed.

'Ingesting carbonated beverages during exercise may causegastrointestinal distress,' adds Robert Murray, director of theGatorade Exercise Physiology Laboratory in Barrington, Ill. 'Andcaffeine, which is a diuretic, may actually promote fluid loss.'

Today, numerous other sports drinks with names like Exceed, 10Kand Max are muscling into Gatorade's turf. Some of their appeal ispsychological, as athletes look for products that will give them thecompetitive edge. But what many people don't realize is that mostsports drinks are designed for consumption during high-intensityendurance activity, to help you stay hydrated and maintain a normalblood sugar level so you can exercise for a prolonged period oftime.

For most activities, 'sports drinks provide relatively littleadvantage compared to plain cold water or a Kool-Aid type beverage,which has good carbohydrate content and costs considerably less,'says Col. Eldon Askew, chief of military nutrition research at theU.S. Army Reserve Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick,Mass. 'Military rations are relatively high in sodium chloride, withadequate potassium and calcium. So sports drinks are notparticularly necessary in our view.'

Sports drinks are 'sugar-laden beverages that offer littlenutritional value,' writes Boston nutritionist Nancy Clark, in'Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook.' 'Commercial fluidreplacers are nutritionally similar to diluted soft drinks but moreexpensive.'

Plain water works well for most recreational athletes, saysClark, who advises exercisers involved in high-intensity enduranceevents that last more than 90 minutes to make their own sportsdrinks. Popular homemade sports beverages include diluted fruitjuices, herb tea with honey and - for cross-country skiers - warmblueberry soup. Endurance athletes may also consume solidcarbohydrates for energy. Bananas and granola bars, plus lots ofwater, are popular with long-distance cyclists.

But many endurance athletes prefer to only drink during anevent. 'If you prefer liquids to solid food, create your owncarbohydrate drink by dissolving 20 tablespoons of table sugar and apinch of salt in a quart of water,' suggests a recent issue ofRunning Research News.

Sweetened beverages often taste better and stimulate thirst soyou'll drink more. 'Thirst is not a good indicator of hydration,'notes Tufts' Evans, an adviser to the Boston Bruins hockey team,whose players are required to drink a carbohydrate replacementbeverage after each game. 'The sooner after exercise you consumecarbohydrates, the more rapidly you'll replace glycogen stores,'Evans says.

Also, he says, if players quench their thirst immediately aftera game they may be less likely to celebrate later with friends at abar. 'Alcohol has a profoundly dehydrating effect,' Evans notes,'and is a very poor nutritional choice.'

Sports drinks that 'can be worse for your teeth than cola'.(News) - Daily Mail (London)

Byline: David Derbyshire

THEY may enhance your performance on the pitch but energising sports drinks won't do the same for your winning smile, scientists say.

Some juices and squashes are so acidic they can weaken the teeth in just a few mouthfuls, research has revealed.

And scientists have warned that taking regular sips during one day is enough to damage the surface of a tooth. The effects are even worse if you brush your teeth straight after taking a swig.

Popular names such as Powerade, Gatorade, Vitamin Water, SoBe Water and Propel Fit Water were all found to cause dental damage.

This latest research follows a sharp rise in the popularity of sports drinks. High in sugars and acids, they are designed to replace minerals and liquid lost during exercise while boosting the athlete's energy.

But past studies have shown that many are more corrosive than cola.

Their ingredients can pose threats to healthy teeth - mainly the citric and ascorbic acid used for flavouring and to prevent the drink going off.

Acid erodes the tooth's enamel coating and trickles into the bonelike material underneath, softening the tooth.

If left untreated it can cause severe damage - and even tooth loss, the New York University researchers found.

Professor Mark Wolff, who led the study, said: 'This is the first time that the citric acid in sports drinks has been linked to erosive tooth wear.'

His team studied the effects of a sports drink on cows' teeth, which closely resemble human teeth.

Half a tooth was dipped in a sports drink, the other in water.

'Five teeth were immersed in each drink for 75 to 90 minutes to simulate the effects of sipping on sports drinks over the course of the day,' said Dr Wolff.

When compared, the fragment exposed to sports drink had a 'significant amount' of erosion and softening, they told the annual meeting of the International Association for Dental Research, in Miami.

Brushing teeth immediately after having a drink can make the problem even worse, as the softened enamel is much more vulnerable to the abrasive chemicals found in toothpaste. In 2004, it emerged that fizzy drinks double the chances of a 14-year-old suffering tooth erosion.

Erosion is in fact more serious than tooth decay. Decay occurs when sugar reacts with bacteria in plaque to attack the areas between, or on top of, teeth.

Meanwhile, erosion happens when the smooth, hard enamel is stripped by acids, exposing dentine, the substance that makes up the bulk of a tooth, or even its root.

Lucozade Sport said: 'Sports drinks are functional drinks designed to keep people hydrated and refuelled during exercise. To avoid any dental issues we advise that it is not sipped or swilled around the mouth, but swallowed quickly.'

And a spokesman for Gatorade's Sports Science Institute added: 'This study does not replicate real life as the teeth were studied outside of the mouth.

'Ohio State University conducted a real-life study, the most comprehensive to date, and concluded that there is no relationship between the consumption of sports drinks and dental erosion.'

reporter@dailymail.ie

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Sports drinks meet different needs - Post-Tribune (IN)

THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION MAY DIFFER SLIGHTLY FROM PRINTED VERSION

Walk down the beverage aisle of any food store, and you'll be overwhelmed at the sports drink choices: Powerade, Propel, All Sport, Life O2, Excel, Gatorade, Red Bull, Aquafina, G-push, SoBe Adrenaline Rush and on and on.Thanks to the media and marketing, it's not easy to weave through all the hype and hoopla surrounding the many types of sports drinks.

However, there is access to printed information that will help you make good choices.

The July issue of Runner's World Magazine featured an article on how to select sports beverages by Liz Applegate, nutrition editor and columnist for the publication.

The article, 'Reach for a Cold One,' divided all sports beverages into five categories: (1) Water, plain or fancy, (2) Fitness Water, (3) Sports Drinks, (4) Replacement Drinks and (5) Energy Drinks.

'Since all sports beverages are not created equal, my advice is to base your selection on your activity and exercise needs,' wrote Applegate, a registered dietitian, who also holds a Ph.D. in nutrition.

Below is a description of each sports beverage category and an explanation of the conditions that would be most appropriate for use of each beverage type.

Water, plain or fancy

'Whether bottled or straight from the tap, water is great for meeting your hydration needs,' said Applegate in her Runner's World article.

Water contains no calories, so it's a great choice for those who are concerned about weight control.

It's also void of carbohydrates and caffeine.

Depending upon your source of water, it likely contains small amounts of calcium, magnesium and other beneficial minerals.

Bottled waters are advertised as better tasting than what flows from the kitchen tap, but research doesn't show any difference between the two when it comes to hydration.

Studies show both work equally well to replace lost fluid.

Recommended use: Water is a good choice for replacing fluid lost through daily activity or 20- to 30-minute bouts of light to moderate exercises where you don't significantly tap into your carbohydrate and electrolyte stores.

Drink six to eight cups of water throughout the day to meet your basic hydration needs.

For light to moderate exercise, consume 6 to 12 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes.

Fitness Water

If you are looking for a great-tasting beverage with next to no calories and small amounts of vitamins and minerals, fitness water is a good choice.

In addition, fitness water products come in several tasty flavors.

The newest advancement in fitness water is super-oxygenated water.

Manufacturers of the product claim the extra oxygen added to the water boosts both performance and recovery time.

However, Applegate reported in her article that researchers from the University of Wisconsin have shown athletes performed equally well on a treadmill test while drinking either plain or super-oxygenated water.

Recommended use: Fitness water is a good choice for weight-conscious individuals who exercise at a light-to-moderate intensity for 30 to 60 minutes each workout.

Keep in mind, however, the small amounts of carbohydrates and electrolytes in these drinks won't help refuel your exercising muscles. Drink 6 to 12 ounces of water every 15 to 20 minutes.

Sports Drinks

During long workouts performed at a moderate to intense effort, or competitive events in which both carbohydrate and electrolyte supplies are significantly utilized, a sports drink is the beverage of choice.

According to Applegate, most sports drinks are a blend of water, carbohydrates, electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) and a smattering of vitamins.

These drinks usually contain from 13 to 21 grams of carbohydrates per cup of fluid, which is ideal for replenishing spent carbohydrates, as well as supplying ample water to replace perspiration loss.

Recommended use: Take 15 to 20 minutes before a workout or competitive event for an extra energy boost.

During long workouts, drink six to eight ounces every 15 to 20 minutes.

After an extended exercise session, drink 12 to 20 ounces to jump-start the refueling process for your tired muscles.

Recovery Drinks

Eating and drinking after a workout is the key to a quick recovery.

Research indicates the first 30 to 60 minutes after exercise is the most crucial time for refueling.

If you can't stomach solid food after a workout, try a recovery drink. Be advised, however, these beverages contain more carbohydrates and calories than sports drinks.

Some come with added protein for muscle growth and repair.

Recommended use: Take as a substitute for food after a workout.

Ingest 40 to 60 grams of carbohydrates after a bout of exercise.

Recovery drinks are not meant to be used for hydration during exercise. The carbohydrate solution is too high (sports drinks normally contain 2 to 6 percent, whereas recovery drinks have 10 to 20 percent) for immediate use by the exercising muscles.

Gastrointestinal problems can also develop during exercise.

Energy Drinks

These new-age marketing products like Red Bull and SoBe Adrenaline Rush come loaded with carbohydrates and calories.

'Too loaded, in fact, for use during exercise,' said Applegate.

'Many of the products come loaded with stimulants like caffeine, which can leave you feeling jittery and upset.'

Recommended use: With all the other sports beverage options available, hold off on choosing this one until manufacturers do their homework and improve the product.

Sporting healthier options: sports drinks perform for consumers' needs.(CATEGORY FOCUS) - Beverage Industry

Within the past year, sports drinks have taken a health-conscious turn in order to survive in the ever-changing, competitive beverage industry. These electrolyte-filled drinks are no longer a simple rehydration source for athletes; they are now health-enhancement drinks of choice. As consumers want more good-for-you sports drinks, beverage companies have reacted accordingly.

'I would really call it a health and fitness [category],' Erik Rothchild, chief executive officer of WheyUp, Phoenix, Ariz., says. 'Year after year, consumers are becoming more conscious about what they are consuming and what they are putting in their bodies. It's a whole health and fitness lifestyle, with sports a major part of it.'

Vitamin waters and enhanced waters are joining the category as well, which not only broadens it but also increases overall sales for the category 'What is most interesting in the category today is the convergence of traditional sports drinks, functional beverages and enhanced waters,' says Mark Rampolla, chief executive officer at Zico, Oradell, N.J. 'The new types of sports drinks are growing in popularity because of the nutritional benefits.'

Much attention also has been given to natural and organic drinks. 'The continuing emphasis on health, fitness and nutrition is creating growth in the category and particular opportunity for a healthy alternative to traditional sports drinks that contain more bad ingredients than good ones,' says Nancy Dince, president of Liv Organic, Princeton, N.J.

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Comfort zone

Despite the influx of alternative products, traditional brand names continue to dominate the sales charts. Whether it is the price per bottle or the comfort of knowing what is in the traditional sports drinks, the powerhouse brands cannot be beat.

Leaders of the sports drink category are once again Gatorade and Powerade, according to Information Resources Inc. (IRI), Chicago. Gatorade dominates the category, as it holds eight of the top 10 spots. Although flagship Gatorade, the No. 1 sports drink, brought in $631 million in sales through measured retail outlets, that is down for the year ending Feb. 24, 2007, by 9.1 percent. Powerade holds the No. 2 spot, growing to $250 million, which is up 18.5 percent from the previous year.

Gatorade's new release, G2, even made the list at No. 9, earning $23 million in its first five months on the market. Overall, non-aseptic sports drinks brought in a little more than $1.6 billion, which is up 4.2 percent from last year.

Alternative options

Sports drinks rehydrate and replenish lost electrolytes, energy and nutrients after strenuous activities. Many of today's sports drinks are made with less sugar and fewer calories to appeal to more consumers. Gatorade G2, released in September, is a low-calorie electrolyte beverage designed for off-field hydration, according the company. The line launched in Grape, Orange and Fruit Punch flavors. Every 8-ounce serving contains 25 calories, 110 mg. of sodium, 30 mg. of potassium and 7 grams of sugar.

The company says consumers should drink G2 after an average workout vs. strenuous activity. Off-the-field drinks were created to compete with vitamin waters, which have been encroaching on sports drink's territory.

Gatorade also introduced Gatorade Tiger this March. The drink represents the first licensing deal for the $5 billion brand and is also golfer Tiger Woods' first endorsed sports beverage. According to Gatorade, in-depth scientific sweat testing was conducted by scientists from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) to measure Woods' sweat rate, sweat electrolyte concentration, fluid and electrolyte balance and energy needs during a vigorous round of exercise. The test was designed to shape Woods' own specialized hydration and nutrition strategy.

Powerade Option landed the No. 10 spot in the non-aseptic sports drink category It brought in more than $19.6 million in sales, which is up 18.8 percent from the prior year. Powerade Zero replaced Powerade Option in April. It is a zero-calorie sports drink that contains B vitamins, and uses sucralose and acesulfame potassium as sweeteners. The product has the benefits of a sports drink without the calories, says Matt Kahn, vice president of marketing for Powerade. The line launched in Mixed Berry, Strawberry and Grape flavors.

Cadbury Schweppes' Accelerade, though not making the top 10, came out with a new Citrus Grapefruit flavor last year. Additional flavors include Peach Mango, Fruit Punch and Mountain Berry. Accelerade works on a four-to-one carbohydrate-to-protein formula, which the company says extends endurance, speeds muscle recovery and enhances rehydration. The product has 80 calories per 8-ounce serving.

Bottled drinks were not the only sports drink category making news last year. Sports drink mixes made their way onto the IRI charts as well, although some did a little better than others. Gatorade's Propel Powder Packets topped the list, with $25 million in total sales, IRI reports. The packets make up a little more than 45 percent of the sports drink mix market.

Other drink mixes include Gatorade Sport and Gatorade Frost, which landed the No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively Overall sales for sports drink mixes were $55.5 million.

Natural energy

As it has in most beverage categories, the natural and organic trend has caught on in sports drinks as well.

Recharge, from R.W. Knudsen, Orrville, Ohio, is a sports drink from all-natural fruit concentrate. The product has 50 percent juice and 50 percent water with a balance of essential electrolytes such as potassium and sodium, says Jasen Cusisk, group marketing manager for Smucker Quality Beverages. In February, the company released a new flavor, Tropical Thirst Quencher. The sports drink is sweetened with fruit juice, and contains no added flavors or preservatives. Other flavors of Recharge include Grape, Lemon, Orange and Organic Lemon. Green Apple and Mixed Berry will be available this summer.

Enhanced waters also have merged to be a part of the sports drinks category. Many of the enhanced waters contain electrolytes, which places them on the same level as traditional sports drinks.

For example, Zico is made with 100 percent coconut water from young coconuts that have five naturally occurring electrolytes in it. Drinking coconut water after a workout helps increase blood volume at least as well, if not better, than typical sports drinks, Rampolla says.

'The only ingredient in Zico is coconut water, and what most people are drinking Zico for is the high level of potassium,' Rampolla says. 'Zico has 670 mg. of potassium, and since Zico has a natural blend of glucose and sucrose, no high-fructose corn syrup or even sugar cane, it is readily absorbed by the body and put to use almost immediately.'

Zico is available in three varieties: Naharal, Mango and Passion Fruit-Orange Peel. All flavors have the same nutritional profile with no additional calories or carbohydrates. Zico primarily is targeted toward athletes who recognize the importance of electrolytes for post-workout recovery.

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Another alternative to traditional sports drinks is WheyUp, a beverage that combines a non-carbonated, sugar-free energy drink with 20 grams of whey protein. The drink has two flavors, Tropical Citrus and Wild Berry.

Rothchild says WheyUp uses a whey protein isolate, which is absorbed quickly in the body. He also mentions that protein is the essential supplement to maintaining, building and repairing muscle. WheyUP provides protein and energy before or during a workout, he says.

'People drink [WheyUp] now to lose weight because it's like having a cup of coffee with 20 grams of protein in it,' Rothchild says. 'It combines two elements that athletes, from a weekend warrior to you and me in the gym to a proathlete, are continually using.'

Liv Organic, formally Liv Natural, is on the same page as WheyUp in terms of giving consumers a natural option for sports-related drinks.

'Liv Organic contains all the carbohydrates and minerals found in traditional sports drinks but none of the artificial sugars, flavors or dyes,' Dince says. 'We use agave nectar as the sweetener. Agave has a lower glycemic index than most sweeteners so it is ideal for active people.' Besides agave, Liv Organic also uses rice syrup as one of the ingredients.

Liv Organic's name is not the only thing changing within the company. A 16.9-ounce Powerflex bottle was produced with a label that clearly says 'sports drink' on the bottle. The bottle cap also displays the image of an agave leaf.

Introducing Crayons All-Natural Sports Drinks: Finally, a Better Choice to Combat Youth Dehydration. - Pediatrics Week

Bellevue, WA-based Crayons, Inc., an all natural beverage company, announces the first and only line of all natural and high fructose corn syrup-free sports drinks created specifically to address the nutrition and hydration needs of youth athletes.

Ron Lloyd, CEO of Crayons, Inc. explains, 'As a parent and kids coach, I'm thrilled to finally have a healthier sports drink option for the next generation of athletes. There are 58 million thirsty kids, including my own, who are involved in sports. For the first time ever, kids can stay hydrated and get important nutrients with a drink designed just for them. We are confident that Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks will soon replace other sports drinks, juice boxes, and bottled waters.'

While other leading sports drinks, including Gatorade(R), are not specifically formulated for kids, Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks are developed to meet the nutritional and performance needs of thirsty youth athletes. Each all natural flavor contains no high-fructose corn syrup, no dyes, no artificial sweeteners, no preservatives, and have 50% less sodium than the leading sport drink.

Brooke de Lench, founder of MomsTeam.com(R), a leading web site focused on youth sports, health and safety, recommends Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks because they meet kids' hydration needs more than either water or adult-formulated sports drinks. 'Studies show that sports drinks are better than water at re-hydrating kids because sports drinks contain essential electrolytes, and because kids are more likely to drink the required liquids if there is a moderate amount of sodium and some fruit flavor included,' said de Lench. 'Other sports drinks are not designed for kids' needs and have too much sodium and other undesirable ingredients for kids.'

Youth dehydration is a serious issue. The book 'Home Team Advantage: The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports,' written by de Lench, notes that two out of three children are dehydrated before sports practice even starts. By the time kids say they are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. Kids who are well hydrated are often the best performers, as they are able to maintain stamina and endurance throughout the game. Liquids should be consumed before, during, and after sports.

Perfect for fall sports and other activities, Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks fill a void in the fast-growing functional beverage market for kids. Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks provide optimal levels of vitamins, electrolytes and minerals, with low amounts of organic evaporated cane juice and a moderate amount of low-sodium sea salt--all carefully selected to specifically address the hydration and nutritional needs of kids. Added vitamin C and calcium help growing kids stay strong.

Each Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drink comes in an environmentally friendly 8-ounce, easy-to-hold can--an ideal single-serving for kids to 'slam down' when they need to be re-hydrated and replenished. Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks have just 50 calories and come in three fun and great tasting flavors: Playoff Punch, Leaping Lemon-Lime and Breakaway Berry.

Crayons, Inc. has teamed up with de Lench to create a downloadable 'Healthy Hydration Guide for Parents' available at http://www.drinkcrayons.com/downloads/CrayonsEBrochure-lores.pdf. Site visitors can also find photos and nutritional profiles of the Crayons(R) beverages.

Currently available at more than 100 natural and other grocery stores across Western Washington, Crayons(R) sports drinks can be found at retailers such as QFC, Top Food & Drug, and Whole Foods Market(R).

In addition to Crayons(R) All Natural Sports Drinks, Crayons, Inc. also offers an all natural line of fruit juice drinks that contain healthy amounts of fiber, vitamins and minerals, and a proprietary blend of natural ingredients called SugarGuard(TM), which helps moderate sugar-absorption rates and reduces sugar spikes in children. Compared to most fruit juice drinks, Crayons(R) drinks contain 30% less sugar (no high fructose corn syrup) and 25% fewer calories.

Keywords: Crayons, Inc., Alternative Medicine, Therapy, Treatment

Miracle in the desert; Crash girl, five, survives ten days next to her mother's body on sports drink and dry noodles. - Daily Mail (London)

Byline: DAVID GARDNER

WHEN her mother's car plunged 300ft down a desert canyon and hit a tree, five-year- old Ruby Bustamante could not have been expected to survive the impact.

But while her mother Norma was fatally injured, the little girl somehow emerged unscathed.

However, if that escape was amazing, what followed was little short of a miracle. For ten days, Ruby was stranded at the bottom of the canyon in the 'badlands' of Southern California.

Her only sustenance in all that time was dry noodles and energy drink she found in the wreck of the Ford Taurus. But she managed to survive.

Her ordeal ended when road workers noticed the rear of the car in the canyon while they were repairing a guard rail.

One of them, Ralph Merino, hiked down the ravine before noticing movement in the wreckage.

'She was right next to her mother and her mother was dead,' he said. 'She put her arms out for me. She was glad to see someone. She was hungry, thirsty and weak.' Crew boss Gerry Magnuson said: 'We sat her in a truck. She looked dehydrated, and her hair was somewhat matted. We gave her water and a cup of lime jelly.

'She didn't say much beyond, 'I want some water.' But she was as cute as a bug's ear. I think it's a miracle she survived. She's a brave soul.' After receiving medical treatment, Ruby was said to be in 'good condition'.

Hearing the remarkable survival story, Miss Bustamante's sister Cathy Cooney said: 'The angels kept her alive - what else could you possibly say? Norma was watching over her, too. She probably took a bag of goodies along for the long car ride because that's the type of mum she was, caring, and always thinking about her kids first.' Police believe that bottles of Gatorade, a sports drink rich in electrolytes designed to combat dehydration, may have been a lifesaver.

Ruby also broke open packets of Top Ramen noodles and ate them dry to stave off hunger.

Ruby and her 26-year-old mother were reported missing by relatives on April 5, the day after they set out on a trip to visit Miss Bustamante's boyfriend, who is in jail in Los Angeles. Police believe her car skidded off the freeway near Riverside, about 90 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Coyotes and cougars stalk the region, which is characterised by parched, buckled earth and isolated canyons.

Ruby was found at 8.45am on Tuesday. Mike Leum, chief of search and rescue for Los Angeles County, said: 'The car probably acted as some kind of shelter for her. Dehydration is probably the next-biggest pressing issue.

'I'm amazed she could open the top of the Gatorade bottle. That's not easy for a five-year-old.' Ruby told doctors her mother was alive 'for a couple of days' after the crash. Miss Bustamante, from Indio, California, had six children, aged from eight months to eight years old.

Last night Ruby's relatives were angry that more was not done to find her sooner. But Sergeant Richard Banasiak of the Indio police department said everything possible had been done.

Sports drinks rot your teeth - The Independent (London, England)

It's the official sports drink of the FA Premier League, theEngland Rugby Football Union and the British Athletics Federation -but, according to new research, it rots your teeth.

Lucozade Sport, for which Newcastle and England striker AlanShearer has just signed an advertising contract reputedly worthpounds 1.5m, can leave teeth seriously corroded because of its highacidity and sugar, according to a report in the British Journal ofSports Medicine.

Sports drinks build new platforms.(State of the Industry 2010) - Beverage Industry

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SPORTS DRINKS, A CATEGORY BUILT FOR FITNESS AND PERFORMANCE, GEARED UP TO get back into shape this year. The total category declined nearly 7 percent to $3.5 billion, according to SymphonyIRI Group Inc., Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending May 16 in U.S. supermarkets, drug and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart. Growing competition from enhanced waters and other functional beverages have caused sports drinks to refocus their strategies from casual gym goers to serious athletes.

Sales of bottled sports drinks, the company's mainstay, are down about 7 percent through the measured retail channels during the time period. Powdered sports drink mixes declined about 2 percent during the same period.

Gatorade, which holds the majority of the category with eight of the top 10 bottled sports drinks, relaunched its entire portfolio this year. In April, Gatorade, a division of PepsiCo, debuted the G Series platform to address the body's needs for pre-, during and post-physical performance occasions. The G rebranding in 2009 and G Series launches represent Gatorade's shift from a sports drink manufacturer to a sports performance innovation company, it says.

The G Series includes Prime 01 concentrated pre-performance carbohydrate gels; Perform 02, the rebranded identity of Gatorade Thirst Quencher and low-calorie G2; and Recover 03 protein-enhanced sports beverages. The company also released an elite athlete platform, G Series Pro, which leverages formulas and insight from The Gatorade Sports Science institute to meet the needs of professional and aspiring professional athletes. Arranged in the same pre-, during and post-performance tiers, G Series Pro includes Prime 01 nutrition shakes and carbohydrate energy sports drinks; Prime 02 Endurance Formulas and an electrolyte boosting powder; and Recover 03 protein shakes. The line initially launched at specialty nutrition retailers GNC and Dick's Sporting Goods this spring.

In addition to the G Series lines, Gatorade introduced G Natural and G2 Natural. The products were a result of company research, which indicated a significant group of athletes were looking for the benefits of a sports drink but prefer to consume only natural products, the company says.

Although Gatorade is far and away the market leader, The Coca-Cola Co.'s Powerade brand made a push last year with its reformulated Powerade Ion4. The product contains four electrolytes in the same ratio that is lost in sweat, the company says. Powerade Ion4 and its low calorie counterpart Powerade Zero both posted impressive sales gains through the measured retail channels for the 52 weeks ending May 16, according to SymphonyIRI. Powerade Ion4 soared 798 percent to $531.1 million and Powerade Zero grew 35 percent to $118.7 million.

USPTO ISSUES TRADEMARK: THE SPORTS DRINK IN A PILL - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 3 -- The trademark THE SPORTS DRINK IN A PILL (Reg. No. 4164908) was issued on June 26 by the USPTO.

Owner: Mission Pharmacal Company CORPORATION TEXAS 10999 IH 10 West, Suite 1000 San Antonio TEXAS 78230.

The trademark application serial number 77818690 was filed on Sept. 2, 2009 and was registered on June 26.

Goods and Services: Sodium salt tablets for use in the treatment of low blood level sodium. FIRST USE: 20110930. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20110930

Exports run out of steam; FRUSTRATED: Tim Lawson's sports drink company put off its US launch. - The Mail on Sunday (London, England)

Byline: KATIE TAYLOR

FOR years the strength of sterling has hurt British exporters, making their goods more expensive overseas.

But with the pound now weaker, cas n they expect a reversal of their fortunes? Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that exports from the UK increased by 2.5 per cent in the quarter from June to August.

Phil Orford, chief executive of the Forum of Private Business, says that while some members are reporting sales growth in markets such as South America, they are also finding this is offset by slow demand in other key markets, particularly the US.

'For some companies which export goods, for example those producing equipment for the construction industry, the lack of demand as overseas firms struggle to access finance means that where many exporters should be experiencing a boom in sales they are not,' says Orford.

Science in Sport, based in Blackburn, Lancashire, makes nutritional drinks and health products for athletes. The firm employs 40 people, turns over just under ?10 million a year and is the official nutritional sponsor to the Great Britain cycling team.

Its energy products drew interest from many other athletes at last month's Olympic Games in Beijing.

Director Tim Lawson says: 'About 12 per cent of our sales come from exports, mainly to European countries such as Holland, Spain and Italy, and we would like to export more.

'Our products are cheaper to buy overseas, but the cost of raw ingredients is higher and consumers are more cautious, so we haven't really gained.' Earlier this year the company planned to launch into the huge US market, but when the dollar weakened its plans were put on hold.

Lawson says: 'We are a sports business, not currency speculators, and the fluctuations make it hard to plan.

It's frustrating as we know a high-profile event such as the Olympics has generated global interest in our products.'

The Institute of Export has launched a scheme to help firms trade abroad. The charity's chairwoman Lesley Batchelor suggests two main strategies for managing shifts in exchange rates - maintaining bank accounts in the currencies you are active in as a cushion against further falls in sterling and adapting supply chains to take advantage of fluctuations.

Batchelor says: 'The key lies in managing risk and being aware of short-term cash flow problems caused by shifts in exchange rates.

'Currency changes daily, but that shouldn't be a deterrent to making export plans.

Find out all you can about your market, freight and shipping costs, distribution and cultural factors before you start.'

Government body UK Trade & Investment insists there is continued strong interest in export markets from firms of all sizes, in both service and manufacturing.