What is the difference between energy drinks, sport drinks and electrolyte/isotonic drinks?
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energy drinks have caffeine in them. sports drinks have salts in them to replenish what you lost when you sweat.
The exact ingredients are going to vary widely by brand, but generally:
– Energy drinks contain a large amount of caffeine, which is what’s mean to give you that energy buzz. They probably also have a lot of sugar, for taste and for additional energy.
– Electrolyte/Isotonic drinks have a bunch of electrolytes of potassium, magnesium, calcium, etc. in order to hydrate you better. This is because our bodies need a certain amount of electrolytes in order to function, and when you sweat, you excrete both water and electrolytes. So just drinking water to rehydrate yourself after sweating isn’t as effective or as good for you (and may in extreme cases actually cause you harm). These kinds of drinks are formulated to restore your electrolyte balance, and may contain other ingredients as well.
– Sports drinks are a subset of electrolyte/isotonic drinks that are particularly marketed to athletes. They’re particularly likely to have a high amount of sugar, for taste and for an energy boost, and may also be caffeinated as well.
There’s a lot of overlap between the three categories, and the difference often just comes down to marketing. So if you’re looking for something to energize and/or hydrate yourself, you’re better off looking at the ingredients of any particular product to find something that suits your needs.
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