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Should I Drink Sports Drinks When Exercising?

Should I Drink Sports Drinks When Exercising?

Despite declining sales in sugary beverages such as soda and juice over the last decade, the US sports drink market is safe and here to stay.  The sports drink market of $852.0 million in 2017 is projected to grow to $1,135.2 million by the end of 2023 at a CAGR of 4.3%. The market is overwhelmingly dominated by Gatorade, having 77% market share, with PowerAde in second with only 20% share.  The millennial generation seems to drive the sports drink market exponentially with their interest in fitness and willingness to pay for health products. On the surface, sports drinks seem to provide the optimal method of quenching thirst with their convenient capacity to both re-hydrate and replenish electrolytes lost through sweat during a tough workout, however, a question lies in whether Gatorade’s clever marketing schemes demonizing thirst provide an accurate picture of when sports drinks are helpful in optimizing health and performance, and when they are just a waste of money.