What to Drink During Workouts: Water vs. Isotonic Drinks

During intense exercise, our bodies lose not only fluids but also essential nutrients vital for recovery and maintaining overall health. The question arises: is it better to replenish these losses with plain water or with specialized sports drinks known as isotonic beverages that contain all the necessary nutrients?

Water

If your run lasts less than an hour at a moderate pace, drinking water is usually sufficient. Carrying multiple bottles of sports drinks or energy gels is not necessary in this case.

A moderate pace means running at a speed where you can comfortably hold a conversation without gasping for breath.

Therefore, for runs under an hour at a steady, moderate pace, water remains the ideal hydration choice.

Isotonic Drinks

Isotonic drinks are recommended for more demanding workouts that push beyond your usual limits. Although some sports drinks have a reputation for high sugar content, during intense exercise, consuming quick carbohydrates along with electrolytes is exactly what your body needs!

For light exercise, isotonic drinks offer no significant advantage over water.

Recovery: On average, a 240 ml serving of a sports drink contains between 20 to 50 calories and 5 to 14 grams of sugar. The glucose in these drinks serves as immediate fuel for muscles. While glucose can be derived from many foods, sugar provides a faster energy source, which is crucial during intense workouts. The body doesn’t have time to digest complex foods like bread to extract glucose quickly. After prolonged, strenuous exercise, there is a short 'carbohydrate window' during which muscles replenish their glycogen stores most effectively, aiding recovery and preparation for the next session.

Note: The existence of this carbohydrate window, lasting approximately 35–40 minutes post-exercise, is still debated in the scientific community.

Post-workout, the body needs to restore not only fluids but also the glycogen consumed by muscles.

During exercise, adrenaline and cortisol levels rise and continue to act afterward, breaking down muscle tissue. To counteract this muscle breakdown, insulin plays a critical role by neutralizing cortisol’s effects, acting as its biochemical antagonist.

Insulin is released when consuming fast-absorbing carbohydrates, which helps block the catabolic effects of cortisol and adrenaline.

Besides carbohydrates, proteins are essential after physical activity. Muscle growth and repair depend on amino acids found in proteins. Therefore, during the carbohydrate window, it’s beneficial to consume high-bioavailability protein sources such as dairy products, legumes, or nuts.

Source: Wikipedia

Rapid Rehydration: Intense workouts cause significant loss of water, sodium, and potassium through sweat. While water quenches thirst, drinks with electrolytes restore the body’s fluid and electrolyte balance much faster. Typically, a 355 ml sports drink contains about 80 mg of sodium and 488 mg of potassium. This combination of water, sugar, and sodium accelerates hydration compared to plain water alone.

Homemade Isotonic Drink Recipes

You don’t always have to buy commercial sports drinks; many can be easily prepared at home.

Apple-Based Drink

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cold water;
• 1/4 cup of apple juice;
• 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar;
• Sugar or honey to taste;
• A pinch of ground cinnamon or ginger.

Vegetable Isotonic

Ingredients:

• 1 liter of vegetable juice of your choice (fresh beetroot or carrot juice works well);
• 1 cup of water;
• 1 cup of orange juice.

Basic Isotonic

Ingredients:

• 300 ml of any fruit juice;
• 200 ml of water;
• A pinch of salt.

Citrus Isotonic

• 20 grams of honey or sugar;
• 30 ml of lemon, orange, or grapefruit juice;
• A pinch of salt;
• 400 ml of water.

Even simpler options include diluting 2 tablespoons of honey in 1 liter of water or purchasing mineral water and releasing its carbonation.

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