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A sports drink is a beverage designed to help athletes rehydrate, as well as replenish electrolytes, sugar, and other nutrients, which can be depleted after strenuous training or competition. Companies marketing these products point out the fact that plain water, despite its association with good health, can actually be toxic if consumed in large amounts (cf. water intoxication). This can happen because overconsumption of water reduces levels of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium in the body by dilution, interfering with the nervous system. Gatorade, the best-known sports drink in the United States, was introduced in 1966. Currently the largest growing segment of the sports drink market is non-athletes.* This market shift has led some sports drinks manufacturers to specifically target and develop products aimed at non-athletes, such as low-sodium or low-calorie sports drinks. In Scotland and Ireland, for example, sports drinks are often used as hangover cures by young males, or as a mixer for spirits. Non-athletes who use sports drinks should also be aware that sports drinks for athletes typically contain high levels of carbohydrates which will result in weight gain if consumed without a corresponding increase in exercise activity.* Sports drinks are not to be confused with energy drinks (e.g. Lucozade or Mountain Dew AMP). Sports drinks are intended to replenish electrolytes, sugar, water, and other nutrients, and are usually isotonic (containing the same proportions as found in the human body). Energy drinks, on the other hand, simply provide lots of sugar and caffeine. The sports drinks on the market today include Gatorade and All Sport by PepsiCo, Powerade by Coca Cola, Accelerade by PacificHealth Laboratories, and many others.
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