Do isotonic drinks work or are they just another waste of money?

An isotonic drink is essentially just water and glucose (sugar) with some added vitamins and minerals.

In recent years isotonic drinks have sprung up all over the place promising to boost your physical performance and help your body recover from physical exertion.

When we exercise, many of the minerals contained in our body are either burnt up or excreted through perspiration.

The theory is that isotonic drinks help replenish these lost minerals as well as topping up our energy levels. And in fact they actually do... to an extent. The glucose will give you an energy boost and any vitamins or minerals are obviously welcome.

However, despite their price, isotonic drinks are in no way superior to regular food. A glass of water and a banana are every bit as beneficial to your body, if not more so.

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