Fitness Waters As A Water Replacement?

BabsieGirl · 01-30-2004, 11:21 AM

By: Kristin Reisinger

The use of sports supplements and nutraceuticals have become a commonplace practice amongst many fitness enthusiasts as well as professional athletes. We are constantly striving to improve performance and maximize fat loss through the use of ergogenic aids and other products marketed towards physical improvement with the hope becoming a modern day Ponce de Leon.

Funny enough, the latest trend seems to be in the water. It appears that we have traded in our bottles of Evian® for "better water" but are these enhanced water products all they're cracked up to be?

Do They Work?

Fitness waters have become a huge market claiming a variety of benefits targeted at enhancing performance including providing adequate hydration and an alternative to plain water. For example, Gatorade has released Propel Fitness Water® for healthy, active adults in order to meet the 10 to 12 servings of water necessary per day since it is their belief that consumers are more likely to drink a lightly flavored beverage over plain water.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adequate fluid replacement helps to maintain hydration therefore optimizing and enhancing performance of those participating in regular exercise (Convertino et al., 1996). They recommend flavored waters to promote hydration and to increase palatability (Convertino et al., 1996). For this reason, products such as Gatorade's Propel Fitness Water are a great alternative to plain water to increase fluid consumption and meet the optimum amount of water consumption per day, thereby, enhancing performance and decreasing the risk of dehydration.

Other benefits claimed by some of the fitness waters include increased thermogenesis and enhanced fat loss. One particular ingredient that is common in many of the fitness waters and a key ingredient in Rescue, a member of Glaceau's Vitamin Water series, is green tea extract which has replaced ephedra as the key compound in the new non-ephedra fat burners and thermogenic aids.

Green tea contains a subclass of flavonoids that are pharmacologically active compounds called catechin-polyphenols and it is the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) isoform of green tea that is hypothesized to be the most thermogenically active tea catechin (Dulloo et al., 2000). Hypothetically, green tea possesses thermogenic properties by inhibiting specific enzymes that degrade norepinephrine at the synaptic junction therefore prolonging its fat-burning effects (Dulloo et al., 2000).

A study by Dulloo et al., in 1999 showed a positive effect of 90mg green tea extract and 50mg caffeine taken at breakfast, lunch and dinner in increasing 24-hour energy expenditure by 4% (P<.01) in 10 healthy men as opposed to 50 mg caffeine alone or placebo. The same combination also decreased the respiratory quotient (RQ) significantly (.88 to .85 P<.001) suggesting an increased shift towards fat oxidation in response to green tea ingestion. Another study by Chantre et al., in 2002 showed a decrease in weight by 4.6% and a decrease in waist circumference by 4.48% in moderately obese patients with the use of green tea extract suggesting it as an effective treatment for obesity.

It clearly appears promising in the use of diet and fitness water but some products neglect to include how much of the extract is used in the product making it's efficacy sketchy. Other products include unknown amounts and claim thermogenic benefits such as Revive and yet others such as American Bodybuilding's Diet Force include three times the amount hypothesized to be effective without any research warranting such large amounts effective at one time. More research is definitely needed especially by the supplement companies touting these products as the next magic bullet. Until then, their efficacy is still just speculation, optimal amounts remain unknown and the same results can be obtained through the ingestion of regular green tea with less impact on the wallet.

Fitness Waters As A Water Replacement?

Fitness waters as a water replacement such as Gatorade's Propel Fitness Water are beneficial for those who don't drink enough water. The companies manufacturing their water replacements are not promising anything but a better tasting alternative to plain water which is a promise they make good on. Fitness waters and sports drinks as a thermogenic aid may or may not be beneficial. Green tea extracts are a promising avenue for fat-burning but do not necessarily need to be obtained through over-priced sports supplements.

And similar to when ephedra was hot on the market, no thermogenic aid is going to perform miracles without the addition of proper diet and exercise. Clearly, there is no concrete answer to whether or not these products stand up to all the claims made on their behalf. Their efficacy is still unknown yet supplement companies use kitschy marketing campaigns and fancy advertising and packaging to sell the products manipulating the consumer to believe that their product is just what they need in order to succeed. At that point you might as well stick to regular water. After all, that is what the fountain of youth consisted of in the end anyway.

References

Chantre P and Lairon D. Recent findings of green tea extract AR25 (Exolise) and its activity for the treatment of obesity. Phytomedicine. 9(1):3-8, Jan 2002.
Convertino VA, Armstrong LE, Coyle EF, Mack GW, Sawka MN, Senay LC and Sherman WM. Position Stand of the American College of Sports Medicine on Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Vol. 28, Number 1. Jan 1996.
Daly PA, Krieger DR, Dulloo AG, Young JB and Landsberg L. Ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin: safety and efficacy for treatment of human obesity. Int J Obes. 17(suppl 1):S73-S78, 1993.
Dulloo AG, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P and Vandermander J. Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. Int J Obes. 24:252-258, 2000.
Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P and Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin-polyphenols and caffeine in increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 70:1040-1045, 1999.

HoldDaMayo · 01-30-2004, 04:25 PM

can I get this article summed up and scaled more towards my 5 second attention span?

nikegurl · 01-30-2004, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by HoldDaMayo
can I get this article summed up and scaled more towards my 5 second attention span?

gotcha. how's this:

drink regular water

BabsieGirl · 01-30-2004, 04:56 PM

Fitness waters have become a huge market claiming a variety of benefits targeted at enhancing performance including providing adequate hydration and an alternative to plain water. For example, Gatorade has released Propel Fitness Water® for healthy, active adults in order to meet the 10 to 12 servings of water necessary per day since it is their belief that consumers are more likely to drink a lightly flavored beverage over plain water.

Stickboy · 01-30-2004, 09:48 PM

Bahh. Regular water tastes just fine. All I really drink is water, barring the occasional glass of wine or beer or tea.

My problem with the flavored waters is that they just don't seem to quench your thirst. Maybe it's me, but they seem to make me thirsty - er (LOL).

supertech · 01-30-2004, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stickboy

My problem with the flavored waters is that they just don't seem to quench your thirst.

Also they cost alot more than regular bottled water.

Rixmon · 01-30-2004, 10:02 PM

I cut a half a lemon into a gallon of water and mix it, Theres my fitness water!

BabsieGirl · 04-02-2004, 08:55 AM

bump for danny t

Vieope · 04-02-2004, 09:10 AM

I just need to say that the problem today is that most people focus more on supplement than in quality food.

BabsieGirl · 04-02-2004, 09:25 AM

I will have to agree with you on this one

Vieope · 04-02-2004, 04:23 PM

Obviously

maniclion · 04-02-2004, 04:55 PM

I flavor my own H20 with a little lemon, orange and pineapple. If I feel a craving for some juice.
I carry a gallon jug of plain tap water with me. I freeze one at night and put a previously frozen jug in the fridge. By the time I get up in the morning the one in the fridge is half thawed and it stays cold most of the day.

"It's clean, it's cold now that's some quality H20" Bobby Boucher

Stickboy · 04-02-2004, 07:16 PM

Look at me, I got a wooden spoon!

Cardinal · 04-02-2004, 07:41 PM

My tap water tastes fine too. What I do however is buy up about 10 gallons of the cheapest spring water walmart has at .58 cents a gallon. Lasts a long time as I drink a combo of diluted protein shakes made with regular water in addition to the spring.

I can open it and leave the lid off for days on end and it won't end up tasting bad unlike tap water. I also don't have to worry about freezing it (though to save money I would consider it highly).

01-30-2004, 11:21 AM	#1
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Fitness Waters As A Water Replacement? By: Kristin Reisinger The use of sports supplements and nutraceuticals have become a commonplace practice amongst many fitness enthusiasts as well as professional athletes. We are constantly striving to improve performance and maximize fat loss through the use of ergogenic aids and other products marketed towards physical improvement with the hope becoming a modern day Ponce de Leon. Funny enough, the latest trend seems to be in the water. It appears that we have traded in our bottles of Evian® for "better water" but are these enhanced water products all they're cracked up to be? Do They Work? Fitness waters have become a huge market claiming a variety of benefits targeted at enhancing performance including providing adequate hydration and an alternative to plain water. For example, Gatorade has released Propel Fitness Water® for healthy, active adults in order to meet the 10 to 12 servings of water necessary per day since it is their belief that consumers are more likely to drink a lightly flavored beverage over plain water. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adequate fluid replacement helps to maintain hydration therefore optimizing and enhancing performance of those participating in regular exercise (Convertino et al., 1996). They recommend flavored waters to promote hydration and to increase palatability (Convertino et al., 1996). For this reason, products such as Gatorade's Propel Fitness Water are a great alternative to plain water to increase fluid consumption and meet the optimum amount of water consumption per day, thereby, enhancing performance and decreasing the risk of dehydration. Other benefits claimed by some of the fitness waters include increased thermogenesis and enhanced fat loss. One particular ingredient that is common in many of the fitness waters and a key ingredient in Rescue, a member of Glaceau's Vitamin Water series, is green tea extract which has replaced ephedra as the key compound in the new non-ephedra fat burners and thermogenic aids. Green tea contains a subclass of flavonoids that are pharmacologically active compounds called catechin-polyphenols and it is the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) isoform of green tea that is hypothesized to be the most thermogenically active tea catechin (Dulloo et al., 2000). Hypothetically, green tea possesses thermogenic properties by inhibiting specific enzymes that degrade norepinephrine at the synaptic junction therefore prolonging its fat-burning effects (Dulloo et al., 2000). A study by Dulloo et al., in 1999 showed a positive effect of 90mg green tea extract and 50mg caffeine taken at breakfast, lunch and dinner in increasing 24-hour energy expenditure by 4% (P<.01) in 10 healthy men as opposed to 50 mg caffeine alone or placebo. The same combination also decreased the respiratory quotient (RQ) significantly (.88 to .85 P<.001) suggesting an increased shift towards fat oxidation in response to green tea ingestion. Another study by Chantre et al., in 2002 showed a decrease in weight by 4.6% and a decrease in waist circumference by 4.48% in moderately obese patients with the use of green tea extract suggesting it as an effective treatment for obesity. It clearly appears promising in the use of diet and fitness water but some products neglect to include how much of the extract is used in the product making it's efficacy sketchy. Other products include unknown amounts and claim thermogenic benefits such as Revive and yet others such as American Bodybuilding's Diet Force include three times the amount hypothesized to be effective without any research warranting such large amounts effective at one time. More research is definitely needed especially by the supplement companies touting these products as the next magic bullet. Until then, their efficacy is still just speculation, optimal amounts remain unknown and the same results can be obtained through the ingestion of regular green tea with less impact on the wallet. Fitness Waters As A Water Replacement? Fitness waters as a water replacement such as Gatorade's Propel Fitness Water are beneficial for those who don't drink enough water. The companies manufacturing their water replacements are not promising anything but a better tasting alternative to plain water which is a promise they make good on. Fitness waters and sports drinks as a thermogenic aid may or may not be beneficial. Green tea extracts are a promising avenue for fat-burning but do not necessarily need to be obtained through over-priced sports supplements. And similar to when ephedra was hot on the market, no thermogenic aid is going to perform miracles without the addition of proper diet and exercise. Clearly, there is no concrete answer to whether or not these products stand up to all the claims made on their behalf. Their efficacy is still unknown yet supplement companies use kitschy marketing campaigns and fancy advertising and packaging to sell the products manipulating the consumer to believe that their product is just what they need in order to succeed. At that point you might as well stick to regular water. After all, that is what the fountain of youth consisted of in the end anyway. References Chantre P and Lairon D. Recent findings of green tea extract AR25 (Exolise) and its activity for the treatment of obesity. Phytomedicine. 9(1):3-8, Jan 2002. Convertino VA, Armstrong LE, Coyle EF, Mack GW, Sawka MN, Senay LC and Sherman WM. Position Stand of the American College of Sports Medicine on Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Vol. 28, Number 1. Jan 1996. Daly PA, Krieger DR, Dulloo AG, Young JB and Landsberg L. Ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin: safety and efficacy for treatment of human obesity. Int J Obes. 17(suppl 1):S73-S78, 1993. Dulloo AG, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P and Vandermander J. Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. Int J Obes. 24:252-258, 2000. Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P and Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin-polyphenols and caffeine in increasing energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 70:1040-1045, 1999.
	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

01-30-2004, 04:25 PM	#2
HoldDaMayo Just call me Mayo Elite Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 1,917 Photos: 4	can I get this article summed up and scaled more towards my 5 second attention span?
	Are you kidding me????

01-30-2004, 04:56 PM	#4
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	Fitness waters have become a huge market claiming a variety of benefits targeted at enhancing performance including providing adequate hydration and an alternative to plain water. For example, Gatorade has released Propel Fitness Water® for healthy, active adults in order to meet the 10 to 12 servings of water necessary per day since it is their belief that consumers are more likely to drink a lightly flavored beverage over plain water.
	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

04-02-2004, 08:55 AM	#8
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	bump for danny t
	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

04-02-2004, 09:10 AM	#9
Vieope Monochromatic Bunny Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: drinking coffee.. Posts: 14,830 Photos: 10	I just need to say that the problem today is that most people focus more on supplement than in quality food.
	FURtherness

01-30-2004, 09:48 PM	#5
Stickboy Rebel without a clue Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: NM Posts: 1,115	Bahh. Regular water tastes just fine. All I really drink is water, barring the occasional glass of wine or beer or tea. My problem with the flavored waters is that they just don't seem to quench your thirst. Maybe it's me, but they seem to make me thirsty - er (LOL).

01-30-2004, 10:02 PM	#7
Rixmon Ex Sumo wrestler Elite Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Osaka, Tokyo Posts: 182 Photos: 1	I cut a half a lemon into a gallon of water and mix it, Theres my fitness water!

04-02-2004, 09:25 AM	#10
BabsieGirl Fighting Endometriosis Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 7,495	I will have to agree with you on this one
	Don't hate the player, hate the game!http://pages.prodigy.net/rogerlori1/...the%20wave.GIF Before you talk about what you want - appreciate what you have. http://home.earthlink.net/~gwcaton/s...ctures/tmf.jpg A good marriage would be between a blind wife and a deaf husband. -Honore de Balzac Desire+Consistency='s RESULTS

04-02-2004, 04:23 PM	#11
Vieope Monochromatic Bunny Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: drinking coffee.. Posts: 14,830 Photos: 10	Obviously
	FURtherness

04-02-2004, 04:55 PM	#12
maniclion Catalyst Elite Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Hawaii, selling munitions for the war on EcoTerror Posts: 17,917 Photos: 10	I flavor my own H20 with a little lemon, orange and pineapple. If I feel a craving for some juice. I carry a gallon jug of plain tap water with me. I freeze one at night and put a previously frozen jug in the fridge. By the time I get up in the morning the one in the fridge is half thawed and it stays cold most of the day. "It's clean, it's cold now that's some quality H20" Bobby Boucher

04-02-2004, 07:16 PM	#13
Stickboy Rebel without a clue Elite Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: NM Posts: 1,115	Look at me, I got a wooden spoon!

04-02-2004, 07:41 PM	#14
Cardinal Registered User Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,009	My tap water tastes fine too. What I do however is buy up about 10 gallons of the cheapest spring water walmart has at .58 cents a gallon. Lasts a long time as I drink a combo of diluted protein shakes made with regular water in addition to the spring. I can open it and leave the lid off for days on end and it won't end up tasting bad unlike tap water. I also don't have to worry about freezing it (though to save money I would consider it highly).

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