What is an isotonic drink?
Many sportspeople use isotonic drinks without really knowing what they are. Many think that their carbohydrate-laden energy drink is isotonic, but this is not the case.
An isotonic drink is one in which the concentration of nutrients and minerals is close to that of blood plasma.
Holyfat's drink is isotonic when diluted in 500 ml of fresh water, and becomes hypotonic when diluted in a volume close to a litre of water. The advantage of hypotonicity is that it helps to compensate for water losses and less for carbohydrate losses. Hypotonic drinks, such as still water or sugar-free tea, can be recommended for prolonged efforts in hot weather.
How do you choose your drink?
The choice of exercise drink is crucial to your exercise.
An isotonic drink promotes hydration and mineral intake to compensate for losses caused by sweat.
A hypertonic drink should be consumed when you want to focus on carbohydrate compensation rather than hydration.
Carbohydrate-laden gels, frequently used by sportspeople, can be considered hypertonic.
The hypotonic drink should be preferred for optimum hydration.
If you are exercising in very hot weather, the risk of dehydration is increased and may affect your performance.
It is estimated that a loss of 1% of body weight in water would cause a loss of around 10% in performance, while a loss of 2% of body weight in water would cause a 20% reduction in performance, hence the importance of staying hydrated.
To choose your drink, it's important to know what you're doing and what your body needs.
What does an isotonic drink contain?
The composition of isotonic drinks varies from brand to brand.
The majority contain simple carbohydrates such as glucose or fructose (consumed in excessive doses, fructose can cause intestinal problems) and complex carbohydrates such as maltodextrin, the dosages of which vary according to the manufacturer, as well as mineral salts.
The ideal composition of an isotonic drink would be 50 grams of carbohydrates and 2 grams of sodium per litre.
At Holyfat, the composition is simple: mineral salts (potassium, sodium, chloride and magnesium) as well as carbohydrates provided by dextrose and a natural flavour.
You'll find 6 flavours in our range: green apple, ginger, mint and mango, cocoa and plain.
Why drink an isotonic drink?
The body needs around 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day to compensate for losses through sweat, urine and breathing. Sporting activity increases these losses.
There are many advantages to this type of drink for sportsmen and women: it replenishes the body's stores quickly and keeps you hydrated without overloading the stomach, thus avoiding gastric problems.
Water also helps to evacuate waste from the body through perspiration and urine.
Drinking an isotonic drink is recommended for activities lasting longer than 60 minutes, when carbohydrate intake and hydration are recommended.
Before a session, if you're not sure you've got the energy you need to complete it, you should use an isotonic drink.
As always, it is advisable not to use an isotonic drink for the first time during a competition, but to have tested it during training to be sure that the body is assimilating the drink properly and that the flavour is not too unpalatable as the hours go by.
Depending on the brand, isotonic drinks can contain between 60 and 80 grams of sugar per litre. For people who want to lose or maintain their weight through physical activity, the opposite effect can occur.
In our drink, the sugar present, dextrose, is a simple sugar derived from maize, with the particularity of having a composition identical to glucose, the sugar present in the blood.
What is the purpose of an isotonic drink?
A distinction should be made between traditional isotonic drinks and isotonic sports drinks, which are carbohydrate-loaded and useful for replenishing the body's water and carbohydrate stores.
For an effort of less than 60 minutes, pure water may be sufficient.
For longer periods, it is advisable to take in mineral salts through an isotonic drink.
For longer efforts, the carbohydrate and mineral intake needs to be higher. The muscles involved in the effort burn a large amount of energy via carbohydrates, and if the body runs out of carbohydrates, this will result in a drop in performance. Similarly, the minerals in our bodies will be rapidly eliminated through perspiration, so we need to provide them in order to maintain our body's water balance.
Holyfat is isotonic when used in 500ml of water; diluted in a larger volume, up to 1l, the drink is hypotonic. Your use will therefore depend on how you intend to use it.
Conclusion
Isotonic drinks have an osmotic pressure similar to blood plasma, which encourages the exchange of nutrients. It also helps to maintain optimal hydration after exercise and compensate for water losses due to perspiration. Its use is recommended for efforts lasting at least 60 minutes. After an intense or long session, a hypertonic drink can be used as a supplement to recharge the body with carbohydrates.