Hydration News.....
Yet Another Study.
The difference here is it was not sponsored by a sports drink company. (They pay to get the results they want.)
This study is from Scotland and St. Andrews Medical School. Water is not best surprisingly. They found that of natural products milk is the best. Huh?
Plain water is emptied from the stomach fast and enters the gut rapidly. Fluids with some nutrients are held longer in the stomach for a kind of timed release process. Milk has electrolytes, protein and sugars. All good boxes to tick for endurance activities. Those with lactose intolerance note that a bit of yogurt mixed in will avoid most problems. (has to to with an acid that breaks down the lactose.)
Fluids with a lot of electrolytes and/or sugars (many sports drinks and straight fruit juices) actually dehydrate you as in the gut they draw water FROM the body to reduce the concentration in the gut. I often use diluted fruit juice with some NaCl and KCl salt added as a “natural” sports drink. I repeat my mantra that zero calorie sports drinks are silly unless they are PLAIN water.
It is not clear to me if the timed release effect is important. I do know that when I was on the granfondo I had to stop at almost every station to pee. I went through about one liter per hour in my drink bottles.
Everyone is different. For example I have to consume about 400 calories per hour on hard rides to fuel my body. Slow Twitchers can get away with almost nothing. I have to mix that with my hydration.
I wonder if I can take milk on a ride. That would be interesting.
PS After a hard ride or workout an excellent recovery drink is chocolate milk.