HOSA Happenings

Title:
Oral Rehydration Beverages for Treating Exercise-Associated Dehydration: A Systematic Review, Part I. Carbohydrate-Electrolyte Solutions

Authors:
Vere Borra, PhD, Niels De Brier, PhD, David C. Berry, PhD, ATC, David Zideman, MD, Eunice Singletary, MD, and Emmy De Buck, PhD

Date:
January 31, 2025

Summary:
This study reviewed multiple controlled trials to understand how effective carbohydrate-electrolyte (CE) drinks are at rehydrating people after exercise compared with plain water. The researchers screened thousands of experiments and focused on 19 that measured how well drinks with electrolytes helped restore fluid balance after dehydration caused by exercise. They found that beverages with electrolytes and a moderate amount of carbohydrates (usually between 4 % and 9 %) tended to restore hydration status more effectively than water alone for many of the outcomes they looked at. The review suggests that when whole foods aren’t available, commercial CE drinks can be useful in helping people recover fluid balance after sweating, especially during long or intense physical activity. The authors emphasize the importance of not just replacing water but also replacing the electrolytes lost in sweat because electrolyte balance supports fluid retention and overall recovery. 

If you want to learn more, check out the study:
[https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38116803/](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38116803/) ([pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov])