Sports Drinks for dancers

[rachel with the questions]

What are your opinions on sports drinks? I'm investigating whether they are useful for dancers - or the caffeine-laced no-no that some warnings advise...I hear Red Bull (not a sports drink, but marketed as an energy drink) is banned in the USA...

What sports drinks do you consume?
Are they effective for giving you energy? Or do they come with nasty side effects e.g. caffeine-overload causing you to feel jangly...

How clued up are you concerning them? Or do you just avoid them in the name of more officially healthy drinks e.g. water, fruit juices etc

:wink:

[Sagitta]

No sports drinks for me. Any soda/pop gives me a high. I actually have consumed sports drinks in the past during periods of intense activity, that is dancing/general fitness activities, but always my personal preference has been my own concoctions designed for the activities that I am doing and personalized for how my body responds at various times of the day. I use vegetable juices, fruits, make smoothies etc.

[Chris Stratton]

I take Gatorade or Powerade or whatever is on sale to comps to complement the plain water I rely on in practices.

Incidentally, about the only usefull thing those have which watered down orange juice does not is extra salt... so there's always the option of making your own with whatever amount of salt you want.

[Sakura]

In any activity I do that involves vigorous activity, I'd love to have either Powerade or Gatorade on me at all times, but water's just fine with me too!

There's just the fact that Powerade and Gatorade have the extra salt (Like Chris said), carbohydrates, electrolytes, etc... in them that water doesn't.

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Chris Stratton]

Basically what they are is the amazingly successfull 'save the children' dehydration cure of water + salt + sugar (it only works with both) packaged and flavored for first-world consumers, with some other goodies you can find in any decent fruit juice.

[Sakura]

*bursts out laughing*

Something for me to put on my band shirt this year, Chris!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Laura]

.I hear Red Bull (not a sports drink, but marketed as an energy drink) is banned in the USA...

That's funny, I see it everywhere here in the USA, there are even television commercials for it. It's not banned at all.

I don't drink sports drinks because they are full of calories that I simply don't need. I just drink lots of water.

[Angelo]

I drink water or gatorade. Chris is right that you could probaly make your own but I'd rather fork over the cash so I don't have to bother. Red Bull is not banned in the USA. That nasty concoction is sold just about everywhere that I've been to

[Sakura]

I've never tried Red Bull... Love some of those commercials, but I'd just rather have someone drink the stuff for me so I can keep some of those funny cans!**

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

**There's an energy drink made by the Jones Soda Company, and it's called "Whoop-Ass." Has a little person on the front with "USA" on his knuckles. What I think is funny about this is that I can actually say, "Don't make me open my can of Whoop-Ass on you!" or something along those lines. =^_~= My I'm weird. *grins*

[Vince A]

What are your opinions on sports drinks? I'm investigating whether they are useful for dancers - or the caffeine-laced no-no that some warnings advise...I hear Red Bull (not a sports drink, but marketed as an energy drink) is banned in the USA...
I "see" Red Bull available in just about every store here in CA . . . from grocery stores to convenience store. Just today, I went to a place for lunch, and Red Bull, for sale (I assume), was in a small cooler at the head of the counter where you ordered your food.

What sports drinks do you consume?
Are they effective for giving you energy? Or do they come with nasty side effects e.g. caffeine-overload causing you to feel jangly...
I do not consume sports drinks, so I cannot comment on whether or not they give you energy . . . however, (although it is hearsay) I have heard that 'some' drinks give you a short-lived buzz (boost, high, sugar high, or ???).
How clued up are you concerning them? Or do you just avoid them in the name of more officially healthy drinks e.g. water, fruit juices etc
I have read the 'ingredients' label on some . . . and their main ingredients has been described in another response - basically water, salt, and sugar - some add flavorings, and still some add "dyes' . . . and if the ingredients say 'red dye #7' - don't give it to your kids. They could become very hyper!

My mainstay is water, flavored and carbonated water, and OJ. Of course, there are those times for a good Heineken, a Corona with a lime squeeze, a Long Island Iced Tea, a Margarita . . . etc., etc., etc! :wink:

[Chris Stratton]

BTW, it goes even further. There's actually an over-the-counter electrolyte solution which is more or less one of these sports drinks marketed to first-world parents as a pediatric dehydration cure!

Granted, if I had kids and one of them was in danger of landing in the hospital, I wouldn't mind shelling out a few bucks for peace of mind compared to spooning stuff into the blender.

[Angelo]

**There's an energy drink made by the Jones Soda Company, and it's called "Whoop-@$$." Has a little person on the front with "USA" on his knuckles. What I think is funny about this is that I can actually say, "Don't make me open my can of Whoop-@$$ on you!" or something along those lines. =^_~= My I'm weird. *grins*

You might enjoy the following t-shirt

http://www.ebaynham.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=eb&Product_Code=edna&Category_Code=tops

[Laura]

I've tried Red Bull and to me it tastes like Sprite with ground-up Sweet Tarts dissolved in it. I don't see the point of it, although I do know someone who likes to drink it with vodka.

[tasche]

I use an electrolyte miz which i add to my water as opposed to having all the extra sugar in gatorade. It works great.

[Chris Stratton]

I use an electrolyte miz which i add to my water as opposed to having all the extra sugar in gatorade. It works great.

What's it called?

I find managing sugar vs. stress at comps can be a bit of a challenge sometimes, so it would be usefull to have some additional options.

[Sakura]

Angelo, I've mentioned that I love you, no? :lol: :lol: :lol: That was GREAT! :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

I can't think of the name of the cartoon that sounds *exactly* like this (looks like it too!), but I love it! Thanks a bunch!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[rachel with the questions]

Thanks for everyones feedback!

Yep....Sports/energy drinks are a tricky one....(remind me to NEVER tackle a science-y type of article again!)....Glad I got the Red-Bull-isn't- banned-in-the-US claim straightened out....could have had a law suit on my hands from Red Bull!

I'll post a link to the article when it's done, anyway.

Thanks again all! :lol:

[Lita_rulez]

Thanks for everyones feedback!

Yep....Sports/energy drinks are a tricky one....(remind me to NEVER tackle a science-y type of article again!)....Glad I got the Red-Bull-isn't- banned-in-the-US claim straightened out....could have had a law suit on my hands from Red Bull!

I'll post a link to the article when it's done, anyway.

Thanks again all! :lol:

Red Bull is not banned in the US (and I would have been surprised if it had been, given that the FDA seems very gentle on products that can keep the dough coming, as long as ther is no evidence of an immediate side effect...), but it is banned in a few country (France for instance. I have my stock imported from belgium once a month or so...)

I do not have anything against energy drinks per say, I just don't have enough money to by them, watter is fine to me, and gatorade and the likes do not do me anymore effect than regular water.

I have a hard time believing people who claim that gatorade or powerade or coffe or coke get them jiggy or shaky... Then again, I probably am accustomed to it, I'm having somwhere between 10 and 20 cups of coffe a day...

What does work for me as an energy drink however, is Red Bull mixed with vodka. I do have to say that the combination gives me a nice boost.
But then again, that may not be the best combination for someone who does not drink a lot, since multiple turns and strong alcool do not mix very well.

[Sagitta]

Trust me Lita!! I don't have any artificial drinks of any sort, or even coffee. With 10-20 cups of coffee I'm not surprised gatorade etc have no effect on you. :)

[Lita_rulez]

Trust me Lita!! I don't have any artificial drinks of any sort, or even coffee. With 10-20 cups of coffee I'm not surprised gatorade etc have no effect on you. :)

:? Wrong choice of words on my part : I do not mean I do not "believe" it, I mean it is very hard for me to grasp the concept of getting jiggy with one lonely cup of coffee (or coke, or gatorade).

But to be honest, I have only been drinking that much coffee since I started working full time, and I didnt get jiggy or start shivering with any of the aformentioned stuff either.

(and I know I should cut down on the coffe... I am actually down to 6 to 10 cups a day)

[Spitfire]

I'm certainly all for Gatorade; it hits the spot for me. I've mentioned to the studio staff that it would be great if they had it. If it can do the trick when I'm working outdoors in this hot Arizona sun it will do the same when I'm dancing. :)

[Sakura]

(and I know I should cut down on the coffe... I am actually down to 6 to 10 cups a day)

:lol: :lol: :lol: That's great! According to my "Humour-For-The-Week" Tabloids though, drinking 6 or more cups of black coffee a day can have a beneficial effect on your health! 8) :wink: Keep in mind, for some of those benefits, you *do* have to drink around 10 cups... (I love Tabloids. They're the funniest things in the world! :lol: :lol: :roll: )


I'm certainly all for Gatorade; it hits the spot for me. I've mentioned to the studio staff that it would be great if they had it. If it can do the trick when I'm working outdoors in this hot Arizona sun it will do the same when I'm dancing. :)

Yes! Another fan for Gatorade! :D It and those "Fla*vor*Ice" popscicles keep us Summer Marching Band geeks alive in the summer sun! :D :twisted: :D I love being a Band Geek!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

[Lita_rulez]

Keep in mind, for some of those benefits, you *do* have to drink around 10 cups...

Yep, though I do not believe the "cup of black coffee" studied in a US tabloid to be anything like a cup of black coffe in France :roll:

[LauraB]

I am completely addicted to caffeine. When I'm teaching, I drink lots of coffee and sugar-free Red Bull (I think it's 10 calories?). When I'm competing, I'll drink some coffee in the morning so I don't get that withdrawal headache, and then it's on to water and gatorade. I think gatorade/powerade is a wonderful thing for comps to have out in the ballroom along with the water. It keeps my motor running. :D

-LB

[Sakura]

Keep in mind, for some of those benefits, you *do* have to drink around 10 cups...

Yep, though I do not believe the "cup of black coffee" studied in a US tabloid to be anything like a cup of black coffe in France :roll:

:lol: :lol: Very true. We learned about the strength of French coffee in our French class. =^__^= I'm just set with not liking coffee at all... Now chocolate chai tea... =^___^= That's another story! :D

I just found the article funny, but I would have hoped it would be; I get tabloids 'cause they're funny!

Sakura Kitty :kitty:

(PS- Can't wait for the French trip! Probably to France**, summer of 2005! I'm very excited about that! And by then, I'll have had a fourth year of French... (And I'll STILL be no nearer to understanding the "Ludicrous Speed" French that Yan (*thinks that's how he spells it*) speaks.... He moved here from Paris, France when he was in fourth grade apparently. We're all in awe of his ability.

Of course, the funny thing was that he was in a French 3 class... Waaaay too easy for him! :D Sorta irritating though, when he knew everything we were learning and struggling with!

Enough of that off-topic-ness now, though! =^__^=;;

**I'm not dense, but some parents want the trip to be taken to Quebec, because it's closer. So, I'm holding out for France; which will happen, provided the World situation stays mildly clear... :? )

[Genesius Redux]

Not only is Red Bull not banned in the US--it's great with Jack Daniels!

I've never been a particular fan of sports drinks. I've fought in quite a few martial arts tournaments with the benefit of nothing but water--and I somehow think that dancing with water will be fine. (Or, to look at it from another way, Gatorade will not revolutionize my dancing--practice will!)

[Vince A]

Not only is Red Bull not banned in the US--it's great with Jack Daniels!
Tequila too!

A shot of JD or Teq with a RB chaser . . . lots of nrg!

[pygmalion]

You guys are crazy! In a good way.

I saw cases of Red Bull for sale, the last time I was at the discount club, and thought about this thread. I wonder if the formulation is different in the US than in other places in the world. I know beer is different in lots of ways, not the least of which is alcohol content.

Sounds like time to google. Anyone? :roll: :wink:

[pygmalion]

Ha! I googled. Apparently, the point of argument is the caffeine level in Red Bull. The allowable caffeine content is different in different countries, depending on what's allowed by each countries food ministry, or whatever it's called, in the particular country.

Google, and ye shall find. :wink: :lol:

[cocodrilo]

I try to aboid the sports drinks because of the calories, but in Japan we have "Stevia", which is a very low-calorie sports drink I sometimes drink after a heavy night of dancing. It is also very humid here and one needs to replenish not only water but the lost minerals when working out.

At dance parties, I like a couple cocktails or wine and LOTS of water. The sports drinks I drink afterwards.

[tasche]

Sorry I took so long to answer you question Chris its called

"ElectroMix" by Alacer the ppl who make EmergenC

As it breaks down it has 100mg Potassium, 25mg Calcium, Magnesium 30mg, Manganese .5mg, Chromium 5mcg per 250mL/8 oz. each packet is dissolved into 1 L of water so makes 4 servings. Its about $10 for a box of 30 packets so its very cost effective

[tasche]

On the Red Bull issue I remember when it first came out in NZ about 5 years ago ( when I was still living there) they used to say not to drink it with alcohol but all the bars used to sell it mixed with vodka :shock: I can't remember the whys and cons though

[Sakura]

Ha! I googled. Apparently, the point of argument is the caffeine level in Red Bull. The allowable caffeine content is different in different countries, depending on what's allowed by each countries food ministry, or whatever it's called, in the particular country.

:shock: That's really cool! :notworth: Thanks for all the stuff (including this!) that you Google for us, Jenn! :D

Google, and ye shall find. :wink: :lol:

Add this to my quote from Genesius, and we're well on our way to creating a DF Holy Book! (I don't want to say Bible, in case it offends anybody... =O_o= Of course, we're all a bunch of nuts here, right? So maybe I'm worried over nothing on this forum... =^_^=;; )

On the Red Bull issue I remember when it first came out in NZ about 5 years ago ( when I was still living there) they used to say not to drink it with alcohol but all the bars used to sell it mixed with vodka :shock: I can't remember the whys and cons though

I believe the reasoning on that, from what I heard, follows something of the following logic:

The Red Bull, as a stimulant, was being mixed in with the Vodka, the alcoholic depressent, so as a result, people were feeling like they were still energized, still capable of doing thing requiring the coordination they didn't have, so they'd drink more, still think they were okay, and then go get into accidents, drunk as hell.

:? I think that was it anyway; I wouldn't quote me on that to be safe though.

SK :kitty: