In addition, better tasting drinks are more palatable and the presence of sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium will stimulate the body's thirst mechanism - just like eating salted popcorn at the movies makes you thirsty. The ACSM delineates different requirements for maintaining hydration for exercise lasting under one hour and for intense exercise lasting longer. Look for sports drinks that supply about 60 grams of carbohydrates per quart. For fencers, this breaks down to drinking primarily water during shorter workouts and bouting, yet during competitions a source of carbohydrate is definitely needed to maintain energy levels throughout the day. After exercise, liquids are necessary to replace both lost fluids and nutrients.
Sweat contains water, sodium, chloride, magnesium and other minerals.
Low levels of these electrolyte minerals will lead to cramping and loss of coordination. The rapid and complete replacement of electrolyte minerals found in muscle is essential in accelerating the recovery from training and competition. The bottom line is to maintain proper hydration on a daily basis and to fully and rapidly replace the fluid and nutrients lost during exercise. Water alone is fine for short workouts, however, to recover from training more than once a day, in warm climates, during competition or from long workouts, electrolytes as well as carbohydrates need to be replenished. The complete position stand of the American College of Sports Medicine is published in Medicine and Science in Sports Exercise, volume 28, 1996.