Think Energy drinks and other sports drinks are giving you an edge in your exercise routine? Think again.
A new study suggests that performance-enhancing drinks and shakes have a “striking lack of evidence” to back up their claims.
Researchers from the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine in the UK examined the science behind marketing claims of 104 products and found that more than half made claims not substantiated by any evidence.
The researchers then judged that of those that do, half of the evidence is not suitable for critical appraisal.
The suggestion?
Drink water instead, suggested the researchers, and you’ll spare yourself extra calories you likely don’t need.
A 380ml bottle of Lucozade Energy, for example, contains 266 calories — that is about the same as a Mars bar (260 calories) — which would take about half an hour of running to burn off.
Lead researcher Matthew Thompson told The Telegraph in the UK that drinking such products “could completely counteract exercising more, playing football more, going to the gym more” in terms of losing weight.
The findings were published online in the journal BMJ Open on July 18.
Credit to ; www.nydailynews.com
Whilst researching the claims ourselves we came across the following direct from Lucozade Sports own website.
IS LUCOZADE SPORT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?
“Lucozade Sport is designed for adults who take part in exercise or sport. It contains carbohydrate (i.e. sugars) and electrolytes (i.e. sodium) at levels appropriate for an exercising adult. Children’s requirements of energy and nutrients are different from those of an adult and so Lucozade Sport is not really suitable for children under 16 years. This is not to say that Lucozade Sport would be harmful in any way, it is just not designed for use by children. Therefore water is adequate for children during exercise.” Thats right Lucozade are recommending that water is adequate for children performing exercise. Source https://www.lucozadesport.com/contact-us/
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