Sports Drinks & Exercise

Is Gatorade slowing you down?

What does Gatorade & other sports drinks bring to mind?  Do you think of chiseled atheletes dripping colored sweat?  Do you imagine a stained suit after the super bowl?

It is amazing how deft product marketing can be.  The insidious effect is beyond a suggestion to buy the product, rather to expect the product to always be available.  Many of us expect a sports drink at our local 5k or on the sideline of our children's game.  The product is selling (more than $1 billion annually) and our bodies are processing more sugar, salt, & phosphate than ever.

The British Medical Journal recently featured a discussion on the science of sports drinks from an evidence based perspective.  The popularity of sugary, salty drinks to "boost hydration" and "increase performance" should be questioned with evidence. http://www.bmj.com/content/345/bmj.e4737

We know obesity world-wide is surging, enhanced specifically by calorie heavy, nutrient empty, simple sugars in the diet.  We know the negative affects and perfomance limitations of dehydration have been significantly over-blown.  We know that consuming calories pre-workout leads to an energy dive, not boost, by the body.  We know that protein, not simple carbs are important tool for a post-workout recharge.

What does this mean for you and your family?  We would recommend using sports drinks only when activity is aerobic (cardio), strenous AND greater than 45 minutes.  It should be consumed in 8oz servings (for adults) with no more than 8oz for every 15min over the 45 threshold.  This means a 1 quart bottle of gatorade should be paired with a 2 hour run.  If you're drinking more--you're having a sugary treat, not a health drink.  Stick with water before and after a workout.  Look for lean protein sources post-workout to help rebound for the next day (nuts, poultry, fish, legumes).

I'd like to see your entire family exercising, free from marketing campaigns looking to push product over optimal health.

Is stretching harmful?

Could your preworkout routine lead to injury?

Have you seen runners pulling their heels back preparing for a morning jog? Have you watched a pickup basketball game begin with deep knee bends? Should we stretch before we work out? This is more complex than a yes or no--let's look at the research and the evidence:

Types: The most common type of stretching is (A) Static stretching: holding an elongated muscle for 10-30 seconds until it feels released. (B) Ballistic stretching is a bounce & repeat stretch, while (C) Dynamic stretching involves gentle motion, similar to exaggerated warm up time. Examples of this are knee lifts, long lunges, and gentle arm swings.

Risks: Static stretching has been shown to lengthen tissue, immediately decrease strength by 20-30%, and increase injury rates from 0-15% (depending on the study). Long, 2-joint muscles, are at increased risk (eg hamstrings, quadriceps, triceps). Static stretching requires multi-daily and long-term repitition to increase range of motion. Ballistic stretching has been shown to increase microtearing, & risk of injury elevates. Dynamic involves controlled motions and is less damaging to tissue, though it produces less immediate lengthening.

The most important feature of stretching is what you are telling your brain. Your brain is in control of how tight or relaxed your muscles will be. I consider static & ballistic stretching "arguments" with your brain and dynamic stretching "cooperation". Research supports calm, gradual warmup periods. Allow time for your body to get ready for activity.

Dr. Anthony's Advice: Save static or ballistic stretching for after a workout--and only targeted on areas you're looking for more range of motion, not on every sore muscle. Include dynamic stretching as part of a 5-10 minute warmup for any intense activity. Your body will be less likely to injure, and you'll be able to keep performing your best.