Expert Hydration Guidelines: Optimal Hydration & Sports Drinks

There is a lot of conflicting advice and confusion when it comes to hydration and particularly, sports hydration.

Read on to what Dr. John Heiss, Senior Director of Worldwide Product Marketing Innovation has to say about the common myths of sports hydration and sports drinks.

Additionally, it highlights a sports drink specially formulated for professional athlete Cristiano Ronaldo, emphasizing its advanced hydration, energy-boosting, and metabolism-supporting attributes.

Myth: One must drink a fixed amount of water during exercise.
Fact: There is no one-size-fits-all formula when it comes to hydration, as we need to take into consideration the individual’s body size, weather conditions and exercise intensity, Heiss says. “Generally, people should aim for 600ml per hour, and then adjust to their own needs.”

Myth: A sports drink is necessary for hydration during exercise.
Fact: “Someone working out very casually for an hour can simply have water. But if you are doing moderate to intense exercise or working out for longer than an hour, a sports drink that contains a mixture of minerals and carbohydrates will be good,” says Heiss.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) published a set of guidelines stated that “there is little evidence of performance differences between drinking a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink and plain water”. For longer workouts, one may consume 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per hour to help maintain blood glucose levels and sustain exercise performance.

Myth: Sports drinks are healthy.
Fact: Sports drinks can help boost performance for high intensity and/or for sustained durations. However, you do not need a sports drink if you are not into sports. Heiss also mentioned that a sports drink contains similar amounts of sugar compared to soft drinks, as sugar is a primary source of energy. “If you are drinking either without doing any exercise, it is probably inappropriate,” Heiss added.

Myth: All sports drinks are the same.
Fact: There are subtle differences between different brands. Heiss recommends going with flavour first and choose something you prefer to drink. Then, consider the type of sugar your sports drink contains; glucose is more easily digested than other sugars (most sports drinks contain sucrose that is tougher to digest).
“It is also important to check the product label for minerals. Look for a drink that has 250-600mg of sodium, 300mg of potassium and 25 grams of carbs per 500ml serving. Lastly, try to avoid any artificial flavours, sweeteners, colours and chemicals.”

Herbalife24® CR7 Drive: A Contemporary Take on Traditional Sports Drinks

When Herbalife aimed to create a sports drink to meet the nutrition needs of Herbalife sponsored professional athlete Cristiano Ronaldo, it set the bar high. That is why Herbalife Senior Director in Sports and Fitness, Dr. John Heiss, personally worked with Cristiano Ronaldo to evaluate his needs and personalize a product for him.

The result: Herbalife24® CR7 Drive, a redefined sports drink that provides advanced hydration and fueling without artificial flavours or sweeteners. It is light tasting and formulated to provide three components necessary for performance: enhanced hydration, metabolism-supporting vitamin B12 and energy. “We literally built CR7 Drive from scratch,” says Heiss.

“We conducted a nutritional blood analysis on Ronaldo, including electrolyte levels, and factored in his performance needs to come up with this product.”

Ronaldo maximizes his personal training sessions and workouts by taking CR7 Drive. Specifically, he uses the product when he engages in moderate-to-intense exercise in order to replenish his body with hydration and nutrients. One of the reasons Ronaldo likes the product so much is because it provides a blend of carbohydrates that give him sustained energy, while being lower in sugar than many other sports drinks.

“I definitely feel better when I drink CR7 Drive. It gives me energy and replaces the electrolytes I lose when I sweat. When I drink it, I feel like I have more energy at the end of a workout or game versus if I don’t drink it.” – Cristiano Ronaldo’s testimonial on Herbalife24® CR7 Drive

Doctors work directly with Herbalife sponsored teams and athletes by helping them integrate Herbalife® products into their daily nutrition regimen to help elevate their performance. They share their opinions on how the product has been thoroughly tested in the real world.

“We’ve really taken this product from the lab out onto the field to test it with athletes,” Herbalife doctors say.
“It is an ideal beverage for when you start sweating; you need electrolytes and you need to perform. Athletes love it for its nutrients, of course, but also its flavour. It’s light, crisp and, unlike many sports drinks, it’s not as sweet. When you are working out hard and losing sodium, it tastes really good.”

Herbalife24® CR7 Drive is formulated with vital electrolytes and carbohydrates. It enhances hydration and supports top performance.

• With 51 calories per scoop mixed with 250ml water, it is perfect for any workout session.
• Enhance hydration with vital electrolytes lost during exercise
• Replace electrolyte lost resulting from sweating after strenuous physical activity
• Glucose for immediate and sustained energy
• Lightly flavoured and easy to digest
  

By now, you should have all the information you need to know about sports drinks and Herbalife24® CR7 Drive. If you are interested to try Herbalife24® CR7 Drive, you should also know that Herbalife products are sold exclusively through our members and are not available in stores. Please contact to an Independent Herbalife Member who will help find the right products for you.