I ran 10 miles with my friend Susan this morning on a trail near our house, and by the last two miles I was seriously dragging. When I finished the run, I felt terrible… my legs were heavy and I felt sluggish. Lucky for me, my son had left a Gatorade (Fierce Grape) in my car and I drank it shortly after I finished. It tasted great, and I was amazed at how quickly I recovered. If we are exercising outside this summer, we are bound to sweat more than usual, and when we sweat we lose more than just water from our bodies. Our sweat contains minerals, which are also lost. Should we be replacing those with an energy drink? Is it more important during the summer months to drink sports drinks, like Gatorade? I guess the best answer is that it really depends. [Read more…]