Energy Drinks

What are sports drinks?

A sports drink is a sports nutrition product, primarily intended for endurance athletes who are constantly pushing their limits. It contains water, vitamins, sugar, minerals and antioxidants. It helps rehydrate the body and fight fatigue.

A sports drink also gives athletes energy to help improve performance. It’s designed for long, intense efforts and is recommended before, during and even after exercise. Some dietitians suggest taking a few sips every 20 minutes. Of course, how often and how much you drink will depend on your activity and the weather conditions.

Why are sports drinks important?

Endurance sports push you to your limits: your body has to sustain a high level of effort for long periods, often while you’re aiming to beat a personal best. That’s why every stage matters, from preparation to recovery after intense exercise. Getting your hydration and energy intake right is essential.

These sports drinks contain electrolytes. During exercise, you lose an average of 1 to 1.5 litres (about 1.8 to 2.6 imperial pints) of water per hour. Depending on factors such as intensity, duration and temperature, that can rise to 3 litres (about 5.3 imperial pints) per hour. Losing just 2% of your body weight through water loss is enough to impair performance. Thirst also generally starts, and may intensify, at around this point.

It’s hard to beat your personal best when you’re thirsty and tired. A good training drink can help you avoid both. To replace what you lose through sweat, you need an isotonic sports drink that helps replenish carbohydrates and minerals.

The combination of carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals helps meet athletes’ nutritional needs during major competitions. It’s also useful for demanding activities such as hiking, ultra-trail running, running, mountaineering and cycling. Electrolyte-rich drinks are designed to support hydration and help fight fatigue. The electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

Sports drinks are ideal for sustained, long-duration efforts, as are savoury energy bars, energy purées and energy cakes, for example. They’re particularly popular with young people who lead active, busy lives. They help boost physical energy levels, prolong alertness and stimulate mental performance. However, they are not recommended for everyday use, particularly given their significant calorie content.

Sports drinks to suit every preference

Our shop stocks a wide range of sports drinks from different brands. We work with leading brands, including Näak, Maurten, Chimpanzee, Meltonic, PowerBar and EffiNov Nutrition, among others. That means we can offer high-quality drinks packed with essential nutrients.

Because we care about your health, we only offer drinks made with natural ingredients that your body can absorb easily. You won’t have to worry about unwanted effects. Their formulations differ, but each drink does its job.

We offer sports drinks to suit all tastes, with fruity flavours making up much of the range. There are options for different dietary needs too. If you’re allergic to gluten or lactose, you can find suitable drinks here, as can vegans.

Real On The Go offers lactose-free and gluten-free drink powders. Simply mix them with water to make your drink. They come in fruity flavours and give you an energy boost in minutes.

What can you have alongside our sports drinks?

First, remember that it’s important to stay properly hydrated even after exercise. We recommend continuing to drink a sports drink for 1 to 2 hours afterwards. This helps replace what you’ve lost. As some activities use more energy than others, you can also have something to eat alongside your drink.

For example, you could have your drink with plain yoghurt, hot chocolate or fromage frais. You can also alternate it with other snacks, such as the energy gels available on our site. They can help you replenish your energy too.

Physical activity is important, but so is giving your body what it needs to stay well. Endurance sports use a great deal of energy, which you need to keep replacing. Sports drinks are ideal for this.

Which sports drink brands can you find in our shop?

This category brings together sports nutrition brands including Maurten, Baouw, TA Energy, Näak, Precision, Meltonic, NeverSecond, 226ers, Chimpanzee, EffiNov Nutrition, PowerBar, Real, Travellunch and Authentic Nutrition. Each brand has its own blend of electrolytes, sugars and natural ingredients. Compare them according to your activity—trail running, marathons, triathlons or cycling—and how long you’ll be exercising.

Sports drinks and energy drinks: are they the same thing?

In everyday language, people sometimes use “energy drink” or “energy soda” to mean a sports drink. The products in this category are designed for sports nutrition, providing hydration, electrolytes and fast-absorbing sugars. They are not everyday soft drinks or stimulant drinks.

💡 FAQ: Sports drinks

❓ Which sports drink brands can you buy in our shop?

Maurten, Baouw, TA Energy, Näak, Precision, Meltonic, NeverSecond, 226ers, Chimpanzee, EffiNov Nutrition, PowerBar, Real, Travellunch and Authentic Nutrition, among others.

❓ What’s the difference between a sports drink and an energy drink?

The sports drinks in this category are sports nutrition products designed to rehydrate you and provide electrolytes and energy during exercise. Energy drinks and energy sodas, by contrast, are stimulant drinks for everyday consumption.

❓ What does a sports drink contain?

Water, vitamins, sugar, minerals and antioxidants. The electrolytes include sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium.

❓ How much water do you lose during exercise, and why do you need to replace it?

On average, you lose 1 to 1.5 litres (about 1.8 to 2.6 imperial pints) of water per hour of exercise. Losing just 2% of your body weight through water loss can already reduce performance.

❓ How long should you keep drinking a sports drink after exercise?

We recommend continuing to drink a sports drink for 1 to 2 hours after exercise. You can also have yoghurt, chocolate or energy gels alongside it.