Sports drinks:
Sports drinks are beverages that consist of water, sugar, and trace amounts of minerals such as sodium and potassium, and other components.
They help replace glucose, fluids, and electrolytes lost during vigorous activity, and improve endurance. The sugar and electrolytes present in these drinks aid hydration and absorption as well.
When are sports drinks needed?
Sports drinks / Energy Drinks are beneficial for those performing strenuous exercises or playing intense sports for 45 minutes or longer- especially in hot or humid weather. These activities may include running, riding a bike, lifting weights, participating in sports like tennis, hockey, basketball or playing football. Sugary drinks elevate the risk of dehydration and lead to bloating, nausea, and stomach discomfort. While participating in sports, the best options are usually water or sports drinks.
Why Steadfast’s Snergy?
Snergy consists of simple carbohydrates, important vitamins, and minerals that provide immediate energy and restore electrolyte loss. One of the sources of carbohydrates in Snergy is dextrose monohydrate, which is typically high in calories and gets easily broken down in the body to provide energy. Consuming dextrose increases your insulin levels, which means more nutrients are transported to the cells. It gets easily absorbed through the cell membranes and boosts muscle cell activity during performance and recovery. Athletes can use dextrose to keep up their energy levels without comprising on glycogen reserves. You can relish it in two enticing flavours - watermelon and orange.
How is Snergy beneficial?
- Instant Energy Source: It is an excellent source of energy because it contains a variety of carbs that provide an immediate energy boost.
- Maintains body fluid balance: Snergy is high in electrolytes like sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium, which aid in replenishing the depleted electrolyte stores.
- Prevents Dehydration: Excessive perspiration from intense physical exercise can contribute to fluid loss and dehydration. Snergy provides the minerals required to maintain the normal acid-base balance and avoid dehydration of the body cells.
- Prevents muscle cramps and enhances muscle contraction: Electrolyte deficiency particularly potassium deficiency can lead to muscle spasms and cramps. Snergy regulates blood flow to our muscle cells, which prevents muscle pain, stiffness, and tiredness.
- Maintains a normal heartbeat: Potassium regulates the heartbeat, making it one of the most important electrolytes for healthy heart function.
- Aids in appropriate muscular contraction: Low potassium and chloride levels have been linked to poor muscle contractions. Therefore, the potassium in Snergy supports the nerve signal transmission.
- Improves performance: Magnesium in Snergy eliminates the lactic acid buildup, allowing an athlete to perform efficiently for longer periods.
- Lowers blood pressure: Snergy lowers blood pressure as it contains magnesium that promotes easy blood flow and maintains a healthy sodium-potassium balance.
- Reduces inflammation: Snergy contains pyridoxine that controls homocysteine levels in the body, lowering inflammation.
- Manages stress and anxiety: The presence of pyridoxine and inositol help in the management of stress, depression and anxiety
- Alleviates oxidative stress: Snergy contains taurine that helps to reduce oxidative stress.
- Increases aerobic capacity and stamina: Snergy provides vitamin B6 and B12 that are required for red blood cell production, resulting in increased strength and stamina.
Ingredients and their functions:
- Dextrose Monohydrate: Dextrose is a simple sugar that chemically resembles glucose. It is widely used in sports drinks and energy gels. Dextrose is energy-dense and can enter the bloodstream rapidly, hence, helps to replenish the glycogen stores. This makes dextrose extremely useful for endurance and long-distance athletes such as cyclists, marathon runners or triathletes.
- Sucrose: Sucrose is a simple carbohydrate (sugar) which improves performance during exercise, maintains blood glucose levels (by preventing hypoglycaemia) and provides added fuel. Simple carbohydrates provide energy to the muscles and support muscle recovery. Sucrose acts as post-workout fuel for muscles as it helps revive the muscle glycogen stores.
- Acidity Regulator (INS 330): INS 330 is commonly used in foods and drinks to add a sour taste, enhance flavour, and adjust their pH. Due to its acidic pH, it is widely used for food preservation, as bacteria cannot grow in an acidic environment. It also prevents or delays the oxidation process in foods items.
- Sodium Chloride: Sodium chloride helps to compensate for the fluid lost during exercise in form of sweat. It is very important for athletes to remain hydrated post-workout or during a competition to avoid headaches, lethargy and loss of focus.
- Potassium Chloride: It helps maintain blood pressure levels, reduces the risk of recurring kidney stones and maintains proper hydration levels.
- Magnesium Oxide: Magnesium is important for the movement of sodium and potassium across the cell membranes. Magnesium oxide in Snergy prevents leg cramps that occur due to electrolyte loss from the body, reduces the risk of palpitation, blood pressure fluctuations, fatigue, muscle and bone pain and insomnia.
- Taurine: Taurine in Snergy increases physical stamina and improves athletic performance. It also promotes sound mental health and helps with anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia. Taurine supplements are widely used by athletes and bodybuilders to relieve cramps, muscle soreness, and fatigue.
- Inositol: Inositol influences the action of insulin - a hormone responsible for managing blood sugar levels. It is also effective in lowering the chances of depression, stress and anxiety. Inositol has a direct relation with serotonin, a neurotransmitter that helps regulate mood and behaviour.
- Pyridoxine Hydrochloride: Pyridoxine or vitamin B6, helps the body to utilise energy from the foods we eat. It also supports the formation of red blood cells and ensures the proper functioning of the nerves. Pyridoxine helps in improving mood swings and symptoms of depression and promotes brain health.
- Cyanocobalamin: Cyanocobalamin or vitamin B12 helps in the development of red blood cells and nerve cells. It also helps in the synthesis of amino acids and processes carbohydrates into energy. Vitamin B12 delays fatigue and tiredness, thereby enhancing muscular endurance.
Conclusion:
Steadfast Nutrition Snergy restores drained energy levels due to everyday activities like travelling, driving, walking and heat induces sweating.
Loss of electrolytes through sweat and urine can potentially create an imbalance in the body. This may have adverse effects on blood pressure, muscle contraction and healthy nerve functioning. Thus, Snergy becomes important as it helps to renew the depleted glycogen and electrolyte stores after a strenuous workout session and enhances athletic performance.
References:
Human case study on “benefits of dextrose on an athlete’s performance” : www.webmd.com/