Can I Drink More Sports Drinks After Exercise?

运动后可以多喝运动饮料吗?

What are sports drinks? How are they different from energy drinks， and what ingredients do they each contain?

什么是运动饮料？它们与能量饮料有何不同？两种饮料分别含有哪些成分？

It’s important to distinguish between sports drinks and energy drinks.

Sports drinks are electrolyte-enhanced beverages. Their main purpose is to restore water and electrolytes that are lost during heavy exercise and sweating. They will contain electrolytes like sodium， potassium， calcium and magnesium. Many are carbohydrate-based， with added sugars like fructose， glucose and sucrose. Sometimes they contain caffeine.

There are also energy drinks that are often confused with sports drinks. Energy drinks typically contain large amounts of caffeine. Many contain other stimulants like taurine， guarana and L-carnitine. These energy drinks could reduce fatigue and enhance performance in the short term. However， they are not sports drinks and should not be used when the purpose is to replenish electrolytes and fluids.

Energy drinks can be dangerous when consumed in large quantities. High amounts of caffeine can induce irregular and rapid heartbeats. Individuals may become anxious and develop sleeping problems. Those consuming energy drinks instead of sports drinks or water may become dehydrated. Also， although many ingredients in these energy drinks are marketed as being “natural”， they may be present in much larger quantities that people normally consume.

区分运动饮料和能量饮料很重要。

运动饮料是电解质补充饮料，其主要目的是补充在剧烈运动和出汗过程中流失的水分和电解质。运动饮料含有钠、钾、钙和镁等电解质，碳水化合物含量通常很高，添加了果糖、葡萄糖和蔗糖等，有时含有咖啡因。

人们常常把运动饮料和能量饮料混淆。能量饮料通常含有大量的咖啡因。许多含有其他兴奋因子，如牛磺酸、瓜拉纳和左旋肉碱。能量饮料因为这些成分，可以在短期内缓解疲劳，且有提神效果。然而，能量饮料不是运动饮料，如果仅仅为了补充电解质和水分，不应饮用能量饮料。

大量饮用能量饮料可能产生危险。大量的咖啡因会导致心律不齐和心跳加快。饮用者可能会变得焦虑并出现睡眠问题。用能量饮料代替运动饮料或水饮用，可能导致脱水。此外，尽管能量饮料中的许多成分被宣称是“天然的”，但它们的含量可能比人们平常的摄入量大得多。

Is it good to have caffeine in a sports drink， and how much is too much?

在运动饮料中加入咖啡因好吗？多少才算太多？

The primary reason for using a sports drink is to replenish electrolytes and fluids. Caffeine does not have a role in replenishing electrolytes， and in fact is a diuretic that leads to more fluid being lost， so in general， it’s best to stay away from sports drinks that have caffeine.

The negative impacts of caffeine are even more profound when it comes to young people. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 12 not consume any caffeine. Children aged 12 to 18 should not exceed 100 milligrams of caffeine every day.

饮用运动饮料的主要原因是为了补充电解质和水分。咖啡因在补充电解质方面没有作用，事实上它是一种利尿剂，会导致更多的水分流失，所以总的来说，最好远离含有咖啡因的运动饮料。

咖啡因对年轻人的负面影响更为深远。美国儿科学会建议12岁以下的儿童不要摄入咖啡因。12至18岁的儿童每天摄入的咖啡因不应超过100毫克。

Who needs sports drinks， and who should stay away?

谁需要运动饮料？谁应该远离？

Most people do not need sports drinks. Water is sufficient for hydration， and the food people eat usually contain the electrolytes they need. Athletes engaging in mild to moderate activity and children playing on the playground or engaging in recreational after-school sports generally do not need additional electrolyte replacement drinks.

If it’s hot outside， they need to be drinking lots of water before， during and after exercise. They can also aim to eat foods packed with nutrients and electrolytes. Some examples include watermelon， milk， cheese， bananas， coconut water and avocados. If they are engaging in heavier activity for longer， they could also eat a snack of salted nuts.

Individuals who should consider sports drinks are athletes who are doing vigorous exercise for at least an hour or longer. Whether they need it depends on the climate， type and intensity of exercise， and whether they are prone to sweat heavily.

大多数人不需要饮用运动饮料。喝水补充水分就足够了，平时摄入的食物通常也含有人体所需的电解质。从事轻度至中度活动的运动员、在操场上玩耍或从事娱乐性课后运动的儿童通常不需要额外的电解质补充饮料。

如果室外很热，他们需要在运动前、运动中和运动后大量喝水。他们还可以吃富含营养和电解质的食物，如西瓜、牛奶、奶酪、香蕉、椰子水和鳄梨。如果长时间从事重体力活动，也可以吃一些咸味坚果零食。

进行至少一小时或更长时间剧烈运动的运动员，应该考虑饮用运动饮料。他们是否需要饮用运动饮料取决于气候、运动类型和强度，以及是否容易大量出汗。

Word Bank

induce /ɪn'djuːs/ v. 引起；导致

Doctors said surgery could induce a heart attack.

vigorous /'vɪɡərəs/ adj. 精力充沛的；充满活力的

Take vigorous exercise for several hours a week.