What are isotonic drinks and what are they for? When to take them?

What are isotonic drinks and what are they for? When to take them?
Isotonic drinks are drinks that are closely related to sports, but do you know what they really are and what they are used for? We reveal all you need to know in this article.

We can find them very easily on the shelves of all the supermarkets, and they are usually known as rehydration drinks, although the most common is that they are called isotonic drinks.

They are also known as sports drinks for their different qualities to avoid dehydration caused by sweating derived from any sports practice, hence they are usually associated with sports and the practice of physical exercise. But its uses do not end there.

Basically, we can say that isotonic drinks are drinks that have the ability to rehydrate our body while increasing our performance.

To achieve this, we find in its composition water, certain complex carbohydrates (such as maltodextrin or glucose polymers), simple carbohydrates (such as dextrose, sucrose, fructose or sucrose) and certain mineral salts ( especially potassium, phosphorus, sodium, and chlorine).

That is, they are specially designed drinks to avoid dehydration, to rehydrate our body in certain situations. For this reason, they are not only recommended during sports but also when we suffer from diarrhea or vomiting, by supposing the loss of water and electrolytes so important and fundamental for the proper functioning of our body.

So, what are isotonic drinks?
As we have mentioned, isotonic drinks are rehydration drinks that are usually used during sports. For this reason, they are also known by the name of sports drinks.

Explained in another way, they stand out for being liquid or prepared that, among other important functions, help positively when it comes to favoring the hydration of the organism, as well as the replacement of lost electrolytes, especially during sports practice.

And why are they known as isotonic drinks? Fundamentally because they contain a quantity of sugars and minerals dissolved in the water quite similar to the one we find in the blood, so that in our intestine they are absorbed quickly, passing into the blood and thus improving hydration.

Why are they known as sports drinks?
As we indicated, they are also known with this name because, at first, they were effectively designed for it: for sports, helping to replace both water and minerals that are commonly lost through both sweats and of the breath.

Therefore, they are very useful and appropriate in case of carrying out prolonged sports activities or of small duration but intense, even more, if the activity is practiced in hot or humid climates.

Of course, they should not be confused with energy drinks or stimulants, since even if they are confused at times, they are not the same.

When is it advisable to consume them?
Although the most usual is to consume isotonic drinks every time we practice sports or when we simply do physical exercise, the reality is that they are not absolutely essential to certain exercises, especially when the practice does not last more than an hour and its intensity is low or slightly moderate.

As long as the environment is not hot and sweating is excessive, at which time its consumption would be more than advisable.