• Question: Is it advisable to drink Lucozade sport before a match to give you extra energy or is water better?

    Asked by 256drud48 to Anne, Florence, Mark, Neil, Sinead on 17 Nov 2015.
    • Photo: Neil Day

      Neil Day answered on 17 Nov 2015:


      In my opinion, if you’re looking to stay hydrated then water is the best thing. If you want energy, it’s better to find a source that will provide a slower release such as from cereals or fruit.
      Lucozade will deliver you energy very quickly as it is a liquid it will be digested and absorbed quicker into your blood stream, but this will lead to a sugar ‘high’ and will be very soon followed by low blood sugar levels

    • Photo: Sinead Balgobin

      Sinead Balgobin answered on 17 Nov 2015:


      Water is the best for keeping you hydrated, and sources of slow release energy are best before a match (that’s why marathon runners carb-load with loads of bread and pasta before a race). Lucozade is a source of sugar, which is fast release energy and is best for consuming AFTER exercise- but I’d suggest healthier sources of simple sugars like fruit. Don’t consume too much sugar because all the insulin produced to break it down will lead to low blood sugar levels, which is definitely not good for exercise.

    • Photo: Mark Collins

      Mark Collins answered on 17 Nov 2015:


      Hi, I would not advice drinking lucozade before a match and as a I am a keen sportsman as well and with some science to help! The lucozade although high in sugar has very little calorific value as we cannot readily use that energy to sustain performance if you are playing football, hurling, rugby or soccer. You will need a steady release of carbohydrates already present in your muscle cells, you are much better having a protein and carbohydrate source such as chicken and pasta the evening before that will provide your sustained release. And for after the match, milk is great as it contains energy in fats along with protein and nutrients and if you prefer something sweeter, a milkshake would be a better alternative! High sugary drinks have been demonstrated to have little or no effect, just good marketing and advertisements.

    • Photo: Florence McCarthy

      Florence McCarthy answered on 18 Nov 2015:


      Depends on how much you sweat! I would suggest water before the game and lucozade sport during and afterwards – the water is essential to keep you hydrated as you can operate more efficiently and will make better decisions than when you are dehydrated. The isotonic drink is useful to replace the sugar and ions you lose through sweating and evaporation and again the balance is essential to your decision making and ability. If I had to choose one or the other I would only choose water as one can get any of the other ingredients in the sports drink from your diet.

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