Are Sports Drinks Safe and Effective?

[@NutritionFactsOrg]

Just a reminder: If you have any health or medical questions, please post them on NutritionFacts.org for our health support volunteers to answer. Thanks for watching! -NF Team

[@burpspanker2676]

Thank you for all your hard work Nutrition Facts Team!!!

[@AnteZivkovic]

Thank you for the research and presentations, Doc. These are a treasure.

[@q..q339]

Damn it doc I wasn't ready for a test. I was just trying to enjoy my spinach banana smoothie in peace.

[@DebateCentrals]

Shawn Baker says you shouldn't listen to Dr. Greger because he isn't as muscular as him 😂

[@dawnrobbins5877]

Greger's mind is his biggest muscle! For others, it may be their mouth! 😝

[@unicornguy9676]

I'm pretty sure Dr. Greger's testestrone levels are higher than Shawn Baker's.

[@SteveSmekar-ll6ln]

Shawn Baker does have more muscle in his head than Dr. Greger, granted.

[@RaveWiingz]

Peace Love Bakers T is low for that of an 80 year old man 😂

[@burpspanker2676]

And you shouldn't listen to Stephen Hawking. He is a complete idiot. (Vegan Gains joke reference)

[@oskartang9797]

I sip water or lemon water during my regular intensive weight training. No sports drinks nor protein powder. For the diet, I follow Daily Dozen.

[@lockhrt999]

Lemon is loaded with Vitamin C and Vitamin C is an antioxidant. If you consume antioxidant during or after workout it reduces the testosterone boost you get from workout.

[@lockhrt999]

www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/tip-avoid-these-vitamins-before-and-after-training

[@oskartang9797]

Don't waste your time at t-nation.

[@lockhrt999]

I don't it's a common study and can be found anywhere. I just posted a top result from google.

[@botzer8817]

@@lockhrt999 Antioxidants dont lower testosterone, I didn't find any study that support your claims. Antioxidants seem to increase serum sex hormones in studies.

[@theveganmerman9302]

I think Adam Ruins Everything went over this and pretty much said the same thing just drink when you’re thirsty. And then yeah Gatorade pretty much funded their own study

[@Mistral434]

ARE almost never provides an accurate representation of the subjects they cover, be wary of that show. Look at the comment by 'helicart' for why this particular video is highly flawed.

[@TheBerkeleyBeauty]

I was a high school athlete in the 80s and all we drank was water and we NEVER had a problem with “low electrolytes”. I used to tell my kids all the time (both high school and college athletes) that they didn’t need all that expensive crap in the bottles and to just drink enough water. What a scam🙄.

[@DimaRakesah]

My husband is a martial arts instructor and is forever telling his kids not to drink sports drinks, just water. Now we have this video to refer to, thanks Dr. Greger!

[@theveganvillainess]

Yea, I got them all right 😀

[@alchemist585a]

Thank you! Thank you. I have taught Body Fluids & Renal Physiology for decades and whenever I was asked about this topic of hydration during exercise my answer has been PHYSIOLOGY. If your hypothalamus & your kidneys work, your body will respond appropriately and you will be all set.

[@zbridgjpxupzm]

2:48 true maybe for light exercise in moderate temperatures. It is definitely NOT true for rigorous exercise and long distance running or hot temperatures...

[@marujitadiaz9019]

I've been preaching in the desert about this for years. To be precise, in the Runner's World forums about eight years ago. It's nice to have now this specially-made video to back it up.

[@jeristowell2635]

Ran my fastest marathon and BQ for Boston and only drank when I was thirsty. It's true you can over drink. When ever I did sports drinks I ended up with stomach issues.

[@Slash687]

Can you make a video about the long-term effects of ADD medications like vyvanse and adderall on the brain?

[@trainingtall]

This is some eye-opening stuff! Wow! And the science has been there all along...

[@liliakogan3043]

Can you address the Ahi flower oil statement made by some that it is best for Omega 3 fatty acids and conversion to DHA. My understanding is that oils of any kind are not beneficial, especially when dealing with health issues. Thoughts?

[@IA9876]

Totally agree with this video. There is so much crap around sports drinks and other sports nutrition product marketing that it's laughable. I prefer to train on water as much as possible. Saying that sports drinks have their place in endurance events for convenience more than anything else. Quick to consume and digest and can be taken on the go without slowing down. Not essential, just an easy solution compared to a lot of food options. You can swap bottles quickly or carry a hydration bladder etc.

[@Shamgawwd]

So what causes exercise related muscle cramps?

[@goldwolf0606]

Thanks for doing all this research. I’ve known this info but never bothered to look up the sources. You saved me hours of reading.

[@ThePlantParadigm]

Every bit of this just blew my mind!

[@jrgoddess]

Is this true for ileostomates? We are told to drink Gatorade and V8 to avoid dehydration.

[@luluthegrape]

I got 100% on the quiz! Thanks Anatomy and Physiology!

[@krisissupercool1]

I agree that water is the best choice to stay hydrated, but in studies like these, i don't think they're considering the long term effects of some of the alternatives ingredients, lets break down Gatorade for example. [ Water(fluoridated mostly), high fructose corn syrup (from genetically modified corn), glucose-fructose syrup (also from genetically modified sources), sucrose syrup (GMO), citric acid (GMO), natural flavor (GMO) salt, sodium citrate, monopotassium phosphate, modified food starch (GMO), red 40 and glycerol ester of rosin]. Glycerol ester of rosin is put into sports drinks PURELY FOR COSMETICS. Its a chemical derived from wood rosin, and the only purpose it has in the drink is to keep the artificial colors, which are CRUDE OIL DERIVATIVES suspended, so they never settle to the bottom and it keeps the beverage looking "nice". When we look at the best hydration formulas, i think its important to be conscious of its constituents (hopefully none other than hydrogen and oxygen) and consider the health effects of the ingredients. Basically, anything natural (including coconut water) is healthier than crude oil derivative, wood rosin, genetically modified laden choices for hydration.

[@GuacamoleKun]

I drink according to thirst and I seem to drink a lot more than others. And some people I know seem to get dehydrated.

[@sidilicious11]

As far as drinking only when thirsty, I’ve found that I do make myself begin to drink and once I’m swallowing my thirst regulator kicks in and takes in what it needs.

[@metalguru5226]

So if you're thirsty and dehydrayted it's better to take water with sugar and salt than plain water? In what ratio? Anyone know?

[@vincenthuffaker7315]

Hey, so, "drink according to thirst" sounds good. But doesn't the Daily Dozen stipulate 5 12-oz glasses of water? And there's another video here on water consumption that essentially said, 'the more the better". So.... ummm... should I drink according to thirst, or strive to drink a lot?

[@oskartang9797]

Vincent Huffaker, the daily dozen is for basic intake. Drink additional water if you feel thirsty.

[@samanthataylor6284]

I think this video is more about what to drink during exercise.

[@jRising]

I think this just confused the heck out of everybody.....hahaha AND I totally saw sanitation coming a mile away. The eradication of smallpox was mostly due to sanitation not inoculation.

[@alexandravinoigt4688]

Wow thanks doc!

[@erikl3508]

This video reminds me of that series of videos where Dr Gregor said we need to avoid rice because we will get arsenic poisoning, and that it is a REALLY big issue world wide. Someone should tell the greatest runners on earth that they’ve been doing it all wrong. Hey Kenyans, a Phd wrote a paper and it turns out- you don’t really need water, sugar, or sodium when running for long periods.

[@AFSmashMan]

I love your pop quizzes! More please!

[@NovaZayn]

Best channel

[@WallStreetKing]

If you run an ultra marathon theres an exact amount of fluid you need to intake every hour. Its not based off thirst. If you wait until youre thirsty youll run into problems. "One recent study published in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine found that dehydration in ultra marathoners tends to be the most prevalent the first eight hours of a race, so replacing the liquid lost through sweat is especially vital in the early stages. Since runners’ sweat rates vary between ½ liter to 3 liters per hour, the best way to determine how much you should be drinking is to figure out your individual sweat rate."

[@MutsFire]

Ofc, if you run until your mental mind is fucked up then you can't trust your instincts/body. That statement is overrated even among ultrarunners.. //A ultrarunner with great respect for science

[@WallStreetKing]

MutsFire Youre claiming ever ultra fks up every ultra runners mental mind and that somehow makes you forget to drink water. I'll wait till you provide evidence for that.

[@helicart]

@ Logan I agree with what you say. Individual sweat rate is the most objective way to stay hydrated. It was only around 10 years ago that electrolyte solutions began to up the concentration of electrolytes to anything resembling that lost in sweat. Beforehand, govt legislation and sales mainly to the general consumer market saw electrolyte drinks not satisfactory for endurance athletes.

[@WallStreetKing]

lightdark00 3 to 5 hrs is not an ultra marathon. I'm talking running for over 8 hours.

[@TheBerkeleyBeauty]

I’ve never run s marathon where I didn’t get thirsty at LEAST every hour.

[@LokiDWolf]

I'm totally shocked by this! For years I thought it was one way. I love this video was created and with credible sources nonetheless! SHARING!!!

[@bdmesq]

Thanks for putting this in the daylight...........haven been using this [ORS] just a few months after the first publication.....it took many more years for ORS to be recognized in the develops countries

[@sarahbakesy]

Do you have a video on Energy drinks? If no please do! I would like to know what they do to the body and this is one of the only sources i trust.

[@charstringetje]

@4:22 I wonder whether in 7 years time Dr. Greger will be citing Tim Noakes's current research. Google Tim Noakes diet, and share what you think.

[@demcomp]

hahahah! He's a Low-Carb Paleo nut job. I mean, really? It's just another Diabetes Inducing High-Fat diet. Keto much?

[@garrido44]

Wow! That quiz got me thinking.

[@ImDemonWolf]

Wow, I got all those questions wrong. Thank you Dr. Greger for the truth bombs that we the ignorant and/or stupid public believe.

[@eelkeaptroot1393]

So basically blending up some celery in a banana smoothie would make a great sports drink, that's what I took away from this...

[@veg]

If i only drink when i'm thirsty i would drink 1 cup a day...

[@demcomp]

If you eat a lot of fruits, you probably end up consuming a lot of water in those fruits. So for that, you'd probably be fine. If you didn't eat a lot of fruits but had a lot of steamed veggies, you'd also consume a fair amount of water in that as well. Couple that to a climate controlled environment with optimal conditions constantly being met, temperature and humidity wise for the highest human comfort, probably why.. haha!

[@praisethesun9005]

Damn straight.

[@veg]

I don't eat meat. I have a working brain!

[@TheBerkeleyBeauty]

Wow, you must eat a lot of water in your food.

[@MechLeander]

Wow. I did not know that. In the army they told us to drink water all day long.

[@MechLeander]

Lee Lemon That is true, and we were also sweating a lot. But looking back I guess it was just as much about attitude and conditioning as about giving advice. "You have water, and you can walk? Then you're fine. Stop complaining!" They didn't make us pour the water out no. I served as an arctic ranger in Europe though. Not America.

[@Zoomsterful]

Id like to see Dr Greger's Strava profile.....

[@samanthataylor6284]

so you're saying you trust anecdotal evidence over several peer-reviewed medical studies?

[@megeek727]

I have never understood this country's facination with Gatorade and other salty beverages for athletes. I have run marathons on plain water. All long distance runners know that what matters most is what you eat in the days before the big race. The Kenyans are not drinking Gatorade and they have been winning all the major marathons (26.2 mile race) for years.

[@plantseedsstaywoke9550]

So if I drink vodka when I'm thirsty, I'm good right? Thanks doc! Knew I can count on you. I've been drinking vodka all day andef rijg rthiojh my...............................................................bm ky yi

[@johnbouttell5827]

Thanks for giving us the facts

[@ct8409]

Amen.

[@allencrider]

Sports drinks: It's what the fat kids drink. Besides, electrolytes are what plants crave!

[@spir5102]

Thank you, Dr. Gregor, for being a Beacon of truth. You should be awarded the Nobel peace prize for the number of lives you save.

[@Kaffeinated11]

If you said false "YOUR WRONG" haha I love you Dr.

[@MrBinieam]

Great video

[@Chameleon569]

wow this just puts everything i knew upside down. I got all 4 questions wrong damn. Thank you !!!

[@GoustiFruit]

Yet I see miracles every time I take a magnesium supplement to stop my cramps...

[@LuneLuan]

GoustiFruit φ you must not be eating enough fruits and vegetables

[@GoustiFruit]

Nelson Arias According to cronometer I get plenty enough of magnesium (more than 600mg every day) and plenty enough of everything else (I'm eating more than 3000 cals/day WFBP). The supplement I take is not highly dosed, only 100mg, but it makes a big difference. Maybe an absorption problem?

[@Ryalnotch]

600mg? Sounds low, have you tracked it trough cronometer or equivalent tool? I usually get 2000+.

[@GoustiFruit]

That's the very minimum. Just for breakfast this morning I already had 400mg. RDA are 480mg for men. So, as I said I get plenty of magnesium through my diet, but just adding 100 mg from a supplement - which is nothing compared to what I get in my diet - makes a whole difference for my muscle cramps. BTW, it does not work for me with magnesium citrate, only with "chelated" magnesium so again, probably an absorption problem.

[@DjRukke]

Got all right :P

[@TOMMYSURIA]

What about just electrolytes powder?

[@medicinachinesa]

Could you talk about the new research made by HARVARD about "Skipping breakfast linked with higher levels of arterial plaque" ? And what about the intermittent fasting benefits? Thank you.

[@SteveSmekar-ll6ln]

Couldn't help but notice he mentions nothing about these sports drinks being highly acidic to the body... similar to soft drinks.

[@metalguru5226]

Salt is alkaline, while sugar is neutral, so I doubt that what you said is true - unless something extremely acid is added to sports drinks.

[@Clothmom1]

Shocking!

[@GuidoPerdomo]

so I shouldn't be drinking a gallon of water while I'm at the gym?

[@AH-cy4md]

Yay sanitation!!

[@LeadmareLibertad]

“Your body is not stupid.”

[@ResurrectionRefuge]

How much did Bobby Boucher Jr. pay you to say this?

[@wtfisthishit]

Angela - drinking gaaaaaytorade while playing foosball is the devil

[@markdirga4894]

I've been a triathlete for over 30 years. Regardless of the race distance, from Sprint to Ironman, I've always found that I feel better and perform better without Sports Drinks. I drink water and eat a variety of nutrition, including gels washed down with water.

[@Alex-yk6he]

Wow

[@zbynekcodykolacek]

All is about big $$$..., folks drink tap, water fountain water, green tea... that simple.

[@Nicholas-f5]

Can make your own electrolyte drinks..and never drink more than 24 hours of 5 hour energy 😂😂😂

[@Ryansarcade9]

All I know is Brawndo’s got electrolytes 😂😂😂

[@BD-ug3wp]

"...promoted the concept that athletes should drink 'as much as tolerable' during exercise. -- Hm. I wonder who these authors are? Funded by the GATORADE SPORTS SCIENCE INSTITUTE." Glorious source check, Doctor.

[@Vamavid]

Got all questions correct, including the sanitation one. The last one was obvious to me, having practiced medicine in Zimbabwe

[@Stuttjan]

Great video doc, shows how were being manipulated by everything. I answered all those questions wrong aswell...

[@carlgibson7850]

Why make a video on something you have no experience with? Anyone can do exactly what you did for either side of this argument and appear correct. This video has no substance. I'll listen to professional athletes tell me what they do to perform at a high level. I'll pass on performance based information from the captain of the Jewish debate team.

[@johnharvey5412]

Carl Gibson so in other words, you prefer anecdotes to actual science?

[@carlgibson7850]

John Harvey That isn't entirely what I am suggesting. This video lacked substance. It has to do with the research. Just because something is "scientific research" doesn't mean it's any good or meaningful in any way. I could type forever on this idea but it's the comment section on KZbin so I won't. If we are talking about sports drinks such as Gatorade or the like, I think they're all garbage. I agree with him on that point. But you could very easily Google the benefits of sugar and salt as it relates to intense weight training and see an abundance of "scientific research" to show how effective it is. Stan Efferding specifically,a world class powerlifter, has talked extensively on how important salt is in post workout recovery. It should be fairly intuitive. When you sweat salt comes out. If you regularly train with high intensity you need to replenish the salt you sweat out. It is an essential mineral. A man that clearly has never been under any amount of weight isn't going to understand the details that go into intense training. All he is doing in this video is taking other weak research and drawing his own conclusions. Saying it's science or facts doesn't make it infallible or absolute. You're just getting one guy's opinipn about other people's research. Would you rather have the opinion/knowledge about something from a guy reading other people's work and drawing conclusions; or from someone who is actually living it, breathing it, and being one of the best in the world at it for several decades?

[@johnharvey5412]

Carl Gibson I'd prefer the one who has actual RCTs to back up his claims, rather than bro science and "it worked for so-and-so".

[@carlgibson7850]

John Harvey You're missing the point. I'm not talking about bro science. As I said before, just because it's so called "science" does not make it absolute. Studies can be weak. Terrible controls, terrible subjects that don't adhere to the guidelines (this is especially a problem for nutrition and fitness studies), the conclusions drawn can be motivated by who is funding the research. Getting attached to the idea that it's "science" so it must be right is dangerous. There are many instances over the years that show bad scientists drawing ridiculous conclusions either because they aren't good at what they do or because they're being paid to draw specific conclusions. This is one man's opinion on SOMEONE ELSE'S RESEARCH. Research that you don't even know the details of, just what he is presenting to you. It has been proven many times through studies that sugar and salt post workout is very effective. So who is right? This guy or the other ones? Go hit the gym 4x a week for a few months with no attention to post workout nutrition. Then do it again for a few months with doing exactly what professional powerlifters/bodybuilders tell you to do post workout. It isn't bro science, they're doing these things for a reason and you can witness/experience the difference yourself. Disapproving this video is literally in your hands.

[@johnharvey5412]

Carl Gibson you're still just saying that you favor anecdotes, saying that I need to hit the gym and see the difference for myself. He's presented evidence; you haven't.

[@kathyfausett9301]

God bless the plumbers.

[@philadams9254]

In b4 durianrider

[@ryantfinchum]

Phil Adams that's not hard.. he's too busy finishing his gallon of sugar water before his long bike ride up a mountain..CTFU

[@helicart]

This is worst nutritionfacts video I have seen, and erodes my confidence in Dr Greger. 1. thirst is dysregulated by stress. that's why most westerners do not drink the recommended volume of fluid daily. anyone involved in fun runs, charity rides, etc knows first aiders are overwhelmed with people who cramp and have not kept themselves hydrated adequately. The ambiguity in the first question is that regular hydration becomes essential beyond the level of thirst for events longer than 1-1.5hours. Pro cyclists have to be trained to take more water than thirst would stimulate them to. Take home message: The thirst mechanism, like most other physiological systems, is subject to dysregulation, and therefore not generally reliable in a stressed population. 2. electrolyte intake is totally dependent on electrolyte losses. Using the word 'generally' is BAD science, and BAD questionnaire design. Essentially all people need electrolyte replacement for sport lasting longer than 90 minutes in temperate climes, and 45mins in hot tropical climes. 3. and 4. dehydration and electrolyte loss are very much co-factors in exercise related muscle cramping. the others are inadequate training of key muscle groups and inadequate energy intake. Other common factors not addressed in the literature are nerve root irritation in the spine that increases tone and predisposition of innervated muscles to cramping (especially lower limb musculature), and poorly vascularized old fibrotic scars in muscles that act as seed regions for cramps due to metabolic disturbances. It's easy to confound the facts when neophytes with no significant work experience in the field, skim over them.

[@Joseph1NJ]

Love the doc, love this channel, don't like this video. To cut such a broad swipe at hydration and exercise is just way too vague, too non specific. Sure, leasurely strolling on a treatmill doesn't require much rehydration, but it's not exactly the same as a 2 hour intense tennis match in the hot sun.

[@kombinatsiya6000]

lol, this happens every time the doctor debunks someone's specific beliefs. Instead of attacking him with vague claims, argue against specific research results he discusses.

[@tomandnic77]

Please link to studies in support of your argument.

[@Joseph1NJ]

You can start here, and hopefully do your own research. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18607221 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18347684 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18461208 www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2936297/

[@helicart]

@Thomas Reasoner Anyone who relies on the literature alone will get confused. There is still an ongoing debate with no consensus on what causes ERMC. More recent studies that downplay the role of fluid and electrolyte balance as a cause, deal with blood levels. This is not a measure of balance in working muscle. Not everything relating to ERMC has had a RCT conducted on it, and anyone adopting a stance on the subject based on the literature alone does not comprehend the subject in its entirety. i.e. muscle cramps related to exercise of long duration occur more so in the hours following exercise when resting. These in particular are avoided with adequate hydration with electrolyte solutions. before during and after exercise.

[@Co-km6cl]

I'm the 911th viewer 😵

[@pickledbeaker5916]

first

[@GoustiFruit]

Thirst.

[@abcdefg-xm7dc]

second