Not According to Mayo Clinic experts, what to drink depends on how long you're exercising. Drink water if your workout lasts 90 minutes. Switch to a sports drink if you exercise continuously for longer than that. It sounds obvious, but for the guy looking for long-lasting energy, a carbohydrate drink can be just what the doctor ordered. Some nutritionally-conscience athletes may find the inclusion of sodium surprising, but a recent report in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that replacing sodium lost in sweat during an hour of strenuous pedaling helped athletes better sustain their performance.
Carbohydrates also play a large role in the thirst equation.
In fact, there is some indication that carbohydrates improve performance of intense exercise as brief as 20 minutes. To start resynthesis of muscle glycogen as soon as possible, Ivy recommends eating or drinking carbohydrates within 30 minutes of the end of your workout. Weekend warriors seeking to lose fat might want to avoid high-carbohydrate drinks because they can easily lead you into drinking too many calories. Alcohol, the most dehydrating liquid of all, cannot be counted as a fluid replenisher. Stay Close to Ole' Reliable Getting enough water is crucial to your health even without exercise.