What do you think of all of these enhanced waters?

[specialmom]

I'm waiting for the world peace additive to water . . . seems like just about any problem can be solved these days with a bottled water that is enhanced. Kidding, of course. But what is your take on all of these?  They can be expensive too.  Do you think they really can be beneficial?  My son likes Hoist for hydration.  But is it really worth it? What about the energy water?  

[Sarahjogs]

If Hoist has electrolytes in it, and your son is sweating a lot, it is probably fine for hydration.  

As a runner, especially now in the summer heat, I take electrolytes after every run.  (I do in the winter too.)  Before I started taking electrolytes, I would sometimes get calf cramps or have muscle twitching after runs, which thankfully has all stopped since I started electrolytes years ago.

I usually buy electrolyte powder packets because those are cheaper than bottles and are often low in sugar, and I usually mix it in to water after I get back from a run, but if I am doing a long run, I might drink it on the run.  I have found my body is very sensitive to any electrolyte mixes that contain magnesium (not everyone's digestive tract handles certain forms of Magnesium in sports drinks), so I'm very careful what I order now (Generation UCAN electrolytes which contain Magnesium phosphate do not work for me).

I've been using Propel electrolyte packets which you can usually get about 5 boxes of 10 (50 servings) for around $10 on Amazon.  (What can I say, I'm cheap and I often take 2 on very hot days).  I've just ordered some Gatorade Thirst Quencher powder, which comes in a canister of 94 servings for around $10.  That one has more than the 0 calories that Propel electrolytes have, but I like to try new things and I'm fine with some extra sugar after a run.  There are a lot of different electrolyte powders out there and many would probably work just as well as the sports drinks/smart water bottles.
  

[specialmom]

Good to know.  I never thought of packets of powder just added to water.  Hoist is less sweet than others we've used but it's kind of pricey.  But he needs it.  He does a lot of mileage of about minimum 6 miles to about 15 a day six days a week.  It's a lot.  And they pace at a fast speed.  The fastest guys finish a 5 K in around 16 minutes flat with some breaking 16.  My son trains in that group.  So, long runs at a fast pace with hills added in just for fun.  ha.  Does NOT sound fun to me.  I'm looking into a pelaton treadmill.  So expensive but like the programs they offer for classes.  We'll see. That would be a major spend for me but you can do it over time.  

[Paxiled]

Well, he doesn't need it, he likes it.  The best distance runners in the world now come from places where running long distances is still a basic human activity, and they do it on food and water just as nature intended.  Now, when they get good enough to get noticed, yeah, they adopt sugary eating and the like, but before that they just run.  They don't even wear shoes, let alone use fancy water.  Human evolved to run very long distances.  We're not particularly fast, almost all animals are faster, but we can outlast them.  Early hunters probably did this.  It partially owes to the ratio between heart size and body size -- dogs don't live longer because their hearts are quite large for their bodies.  It allows them to run very fast for short distances, and for quick pouncing.  But humans can run longer, though a lot slower.  We got to be the apex hunters without enhanced water, so again, people like it, but no, it's not necessary.  Peace, all.

[Paxiled]

I wouldn't personally drink Hoist or any water that added sugar.  We eat enough sugar in our lives, save it for dessert.  The reason for all the waters is economic -- people cut way down on drinking soda so people started selling flavored tap water.  Some added vitamins and minerals.  Some are copies of Gatorade, for electrolyte replacement, but they add sugar because it's supposed to hydrate a hard-working athlete faster.  Obviously, nature created us to drink pure water and nothing else.  It must have worked, because humans are still around.  The rest are either supplements or just another sweet.  We like us some sweets, and we like variety of taste.  One problem with this is that putting nutrients in a bottle of water, which is usually clear, leaves it open to oxidation as it's shipped and stored.  This degrades the nutrient added to it.  You also lose a lot if you don't drink the whole thing quickly once it's opened because again it will oxidize and degrade the nutrients.  They aren't protected from light and heat as vitamins and supplements are in dark bottles and enclosed in capsules or tablets.  But mostly they are just popular because we like the taste.  Serious athletes, of course, use sugar quickly and it gives them a short term boost in energy.  Most athletes only perform for a short period of time so there's no crash.  It's like the chocolate milk craze -- milk can decrease performance because we lack the enzyme to digest dairy, so it can cause inflammation and sinus congestion but it has sugar in it and tastes good.  It's all about the taste, because taking a supplement or eating a whole food would always be a better way to take most things they are adding to the water.  But as long as there's little or no sugar added, for the average person, no real harm in it, and again, for an athlete, they are much more concerned about performance than they are health and any psychological boost helps them.