Sports drinks can overcome global pressure
16 June 2011
A recent study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics has added to the pressure currently being applied to the sports beverage sector, especially products containing high levels of sugar, caffeine and sodium. The report concluded that there is an increasing confusion between the terms ‘sports’ and ‘energy’ to describe what benefits products can have and that for children and adolescents, they appear to have little or no role. It has generated negative publicity for the sports beverage sector, mainly in consumer media.
However, the report did say that ‘protein has been shown to enhance muscle recovery when ingested promptly after exercise; accordingly, a small subset of sports drinks that contain protein or amino acids are often marketed as muscle recovery drinks.’ The study goes on to recommend this as appropriate if a suitable protein food source is not readily available to recover post-exercise hydration.
Speaking at the recent Bridge2Foods Sports & Performance Nutrition Conference, Volac’s Nutrition Manager for Lifestyle Ingredients, Suzane Leser discussed new opportunities for the beverage industry to target post-exercise rehydration requirements of people taking part in regular exercise. She demonstrated through research findings that whilst traditional sports drinks containing carbohydrate and electrolytes do play a role post-exercise, more effective restoration of body water and sustained positive fluid balance are achieved when more nutrients and food compounds, in particular dairy proteins like whey, are consumed. A review of the role of protein for post-exercise rehydration is available in the current issue of the Nutrition Bulletin from the British Nutrition Foundation (Volume 36, June 2011)
After exercise, rapid rehydration is generally recommended in order to optimise exercise recovery and to avoid limiting subsequent performance. The International Olympic Committee, in its latest Consensus Statement 2010, advised that ‘during recovery from exercise, rehydration should include replacement of both water and salts lost in sweat’. They also concluded that ‘when athletes must compete in several events in a short time-period, strategies to enhance recovery of fluid and fuel are important’.
Ms. Leser presented a number of studies which showed that whilst sports drinks are based on the science of hydration during exercise, they might not offer the best strategy to sustain prolonged positive fluid balance after exercise. Emerging research looking at milk proteins, whey and casein, points to a role for protein in not only enhancing muscle recovery, but also in assisting post-exercise fluid retention. Moreover, incorporating whey protein into exercise recovery beverages could open a lucrative new market for sports drinks manufacturers, with research showing a potential market of 1.66 million people in England alone, with ready to drink products the most popular choice of format .
Whey protein can also be useful for people exercising regularly who want to trim down, by adding protein rather than the more traditional carbohydrate to post-exercise drinks.
Volac, Europe’s largest whey protein manufacturer for lifestyle applications, is leading the way for a new generation of protein-based post-exercise recovery drinks, offering manufacturers a comprehensive range of nutritional whey proteins suitable for this high growth market sector.
Volactive Hydrapro for water-based whey protein drinks is a good example of Volac’s whey protein ingredients which address the nutritional requirements of the sports sector, whilst combining the key consumer-winning attributes of taste, ease of application and convenience. Volactive Hydrapro is a whey protein isolate which is added to water or fruit-based beverages providing absolute clarity, shelf stability and a neutral taste in the final beverage.
The recent negative publicity aimed at the global sports drinks market demonstrates the importance of innovation for manufacturers in response to emerging science and fast moving consumer trends.
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