Latest news with #sportsdrinks
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Walmart (WMT) Expands Marketplace Offering With A-GAME Beverages' Sports Drink Line
A-GAME Beverages Inc. launched its sports drinks on Walmart Marketplace, highlighting Walmart's (WMT) value as a retail platform. Over the past week, Walmart's stock reported a 2% increase, potentially supported by this expansion and the overall upbeat market environment following robust earnings from major tech companies like Microsoft and Meta. While the broader market also exhibited positivity, with major indexes like the Dow Jones rising, the A-GAME partnership could add weight to Walmart's performance, given its impact on expanding product offerings and customer reach within the e-commerce space. We've discovered 2 risks for Walmart that you should be aware of before investing here. The end of cancer? These 25 emerging AI stocks are developing tech that will allow early identification of life changing diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's. The launch of A-GAME Beverages Inc.'s sports drinks on Walmart Marketplace could further solidify Walmart's expansion in the e-commerce domain, enhancing its product diversity and customer reach. Over a longer period, Walmart's shares experienced a total return of 142.21% over five years, presenting a strong performance. However, for the past year, Walmart has surpassed the overall US Market with its returns exceeding 15.7%, showcasing competitive strength despite industry challenges. This collaboration could bolster Walmart's revenue and earnings forecasts, as it capitalizes on growing higher-margin ventures such as marketplaces and e-commerce. These initiatives align with Walmart's focus on improving operational efficiency through supply chain automation. Furthermore, with a current share price of US$97.59 and an analyst price target of US$109.32, the potential for price appreciation remains noteworthy. The recent stock movement, supported by the A-GAME partnership, could gradually contribute towards meeting these targets, contingent on successful execution and market response. Review our growth performance report to gain insights into Walmart's future. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Companies discussed in this article include WMT. This article was originally published by Simply Wall St. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Irish Times
4 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
What you need to know about electrolytes
There is a large, growing and very competitive market for electrolyte powders, drinks and tablets. In 2024, the electrolyte drink market was valued around €32 billion. The products are designed to be consumed before, during and after exercise – and manufacturers claim they'll optimise your hydration, health and performance. There are even options to supplement your daily hydration, whether or not you are exercising. But do you really need to replenish the electrolytes lost in your sweat? And are sports drinks, electrolyte powders and salty supplements actually the best way to do it? READ MORE What do electrolytes do? Electrolytes are minerals – such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium – that carry an electrical charge that influences how water moves in your body. 'They help maintain the fluid balance,' explained Dr Amy West, a sports medicine physician. They help move fluid into and out of your cells and regulate blood pressure, heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function. [ Protein powders: What are they and do they work? Opens in new window ] While they're found in supplements and sports drinks, they're also in the foods we eat every day. 'When we talk about potassium, it's in a banana,' says Heidi Skolnik, a nutritionist. 'When you eat a pretzel, there's sodium on it.' As you sweat, you lose both fluid and electrolytes and if you lose enough fluid, you can become dehydrated. The volume of blood in your body drops and 'your heart has to pump harder to get the same amount of blood circulating,' Skolnik says. Do you really need to replace them? When you lose an exceptionally large quantity of water and electrolytes, as you might if you're having a serious bout of diarrhoea, you need to replace both. In those situations, doctors often recommend a rehydration solution such as dioralyte, which typically has more sodium and potassium than your average sports drink. But experts say you probably don't need to reach for a sports drink during your regular workouts. Even if those workouts are strenuous or happen in hotter weather, drinking water when you're thirsty is enough to keep you hydrated. The sugar and carbohydrates found in many sports drinks certainly may help competitive athletes maintain their energy, but the electrolytes have little impact. In the 1990s, standard medical advice recommended sodium-rich drinks for athletes during any exercise that lasted more than an hour. But more recent research has found that even as you lose sodium through sweat and urine, your body maintains the concentration of sodium in your blood. In several small studies athletes didn't tend to report a performance difference between working out with water and electrolyte-infused drinks, even after five hours of running in heat. It's been well-established for at least a decade that electrolytes don't do much for performance, says Ricardo Da Costa, an associate professor in sports dietetics at Monash University in Australia. 'But the marketing strategies from the sports drinks companies are more potent than the researchers.' 'Everybody thinks that they need to replace lost electrolytes right away,' says Tamara Hew-Butler, a sports medicine scientist. 'You don't. You will make it up generally in your meals.' Most of the time, you are fine just drinking water when you're thirsty. If you're spending hours outside in the heat for several days and start feeling dehydration symptoms, like lightheadedness, you might reach for a sports drink or supplement, especially if you aren't getting enough electrolytes in your diet, says Robert Kenefick, a professor of biomedical and nutritional sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. In rare cases, you can have too much fluid, but not enough sodium in your blood, a condition called hyponatremia, which can cause nausea, fatigue and, in the most severe cases, seizures or death. It's more likely to happen if you have certain medical conditions such as heart, liver or kidney problems. For athletes, it can happen if they drink so much fluid before, during and after long workouts that it dilutes the electrolytes in their blood. However, most sports drinks don't contain enough sodium to prevent it, says Dr Da Costa. Is there a downside? Aside from the cost, experts say there's little downside to consuming electrolyte drinks. As long as you're otherwise healthy, they do not have enough electrolytes to overload your system (called hypernatremia), says Dr Kenefick. And the sweet taste could motivate you to hydrate. Like most supplements, however, electrolyte products are not well regulated and can even be contaminated, says Dr Hew-Butler. In 2015, she and her team found unsafe levels of arsenic in Muscle Milk and Gatorade powders that had been provided to college athletes. The athletes showed no signs of having been harmed by the exposure. You won't see 'arsenic' on a supplement label, but you should check for the amount of sugar in the drinks, which can be almost as high as some sodas. As you are reading the label, Dr Kenefick cautioned buyers to be sceptical of what it promises. 'The beverage market is very competitive and everyone's looking for an edge,' he says. 'A lot of the beverages that are out there are using electrolytes as a marketing tool.' – This article originally appeared in the New York Times
New York Times
21-07-2025
- Health
- New York Times
Do You Need to Drink Electrolytes?
There is a large, growing and very competitive market for electrolyte powders, drinks and tablets. In 2024 the electrolyte drink market was valued around $38 billion. The products are designed to be consumed before, during and after exercise — and manufacturers claim they'll optimize your hydration, health and performance. There are even options to supplement your daily hydration, whether or not you are exercising. But do you really need to replenish the electrolytes lost in your sweat? And are sports drinks, electrolyte powders and salty supplements actually the best way to do it? What do electrolytes do? Electrolytes are minerals — such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium — that carry an electrical charge that influences how water moves in your body. 'They help maintain the fluid balance,' explained Dr. Amy West, a sports medicine physician at Northwell Health. They help move fluid into and out of your cells and regulate blood pressure, heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function. While they're found in supplements and sports drinks, they're also in the foods we eat every day. 'When we talk about potassium, it's in a banana,' said Heidi Skolnik, a nutritionist at the Hospital for Special Surgery. 'When you eat a pretzel, there's sodium on it.' As you sweat, you lose both fluid and electrolytes and if you lose enough fluid, you can become dehydrated. The volume of blood in your body drops and 'your heart has to pump harder to get the same amount of blood circulating,' Ms. Skolnik said. Do you really need to replace them? When you lose an exceptionally large quantity of water and electrolytes, as you might if you're having a serious bout of diarrhea, you need to replace both. In those situations, doctors often recommend a rehydration solution like Pedialyte, which typically has more sodium and potassium than your average sports drink. But experts say you probably don't need to reach for a sports drink during your regular workouts. Even if those workouts are strenuous or happen in hotter weather, drinking water when you're thirsty is enough to keep you hydrated. The sugar and carbohydrates found in many sports drinks certainly may help competitive athletes maintain their energy, but the electrolytes have little impact. In the 1990s, standard medical advice recommended sodium-rich drinks for athletes during any exercise that lasted more than an hour. But more recent research has found that even as you lose sodium through sweat and urine, your body maintains the concentration of sodium in your blood. In several small studies athletes didn't tend to report a performance difference between working out with water and electrolyte-infused drinks, even after five hours of running in 86-degree heat. It's been well-established for at least a decade that electrolytes don't do much for performance, said Ricardo Da Costa, an associate professor in sports dietetics at Monash University in Australia. 'But the marketing strategies from the sports drinks companies are more potent than the researchers.' 'Everybody thinks that they need to replace lost electrolytes right away,' said Tamara Hew-Butler, a sports medicine scientist at Wayne State University. 'You don't. You will make it up generally in your meals.' Most of the time, you are fine just drinking water when you're thirsty. If you're spending hours outside in the heat for several days and start feeling dehydration symptoms, like lightheadedness, you might reach for a sports drink or supplement, especially if you aren't getting enough electrolytes in your diet, said Robert Kenefick, a professor of biomedical and nutritional sciences at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. In rare cases, you can have too much fluid but not enough sodium in your blood, a condition called hyponatremia, which can cause nausea, fatigue and, in the most severe cases, seizures or death. It's more likely to happen if you have certain medical conditions such as heart, liver or kidney problems. For athletes, it can happen if they drink so much fluid before, during and after long workouts that it dilutes the electrolytes in your blood. However, most sports drinks don't contain enough sodium to prevent it, said Dr. Da Costa. Is There a Downside? Aside from the cost, experts say there's little downside to consuming electrolyte drinks. As long as you're otherwise healthy, they do not have enough electrolytes to overload your system (called hypernatremia), Dr. Kenefick said. And the sweet taste could motivate you to hydrate. Like most supplements, however, electrolyte products are not well regulated and can even be contaminated, Dr. Hew-Butler said. In 2015, she and her team found unsafe levels of arsenic in Muscle Milk and Gatorade powders that had been provided to college athletes. The athletes showed no signs of having been harmed by the exposure. You won't see 'arsenic' on a supplement label, but you should check for the amount of sugar in the drinks, which can be almost as high as some sodas. As you are reading the label, Dr. Kenefick cautioned buyers to be skeptical of what it promises. 'The beverage market is very competitive and everyone's looking for an edge,' he said. 'A lot of the beverages that are out there are using electrolytes as a marketing tool.' Emma Yasinski is a freelance science journalist whose work has appeared in National Geographic, Undark and more.
Fox News
11-07-2025
- Health
- Fox News
'Hydration boosters' or just water? Medical experts make recommendations for beating the summer heat
Surviving the summer heat is all about hydration, hydration, hydration. Water will usually do the trick – but some "hydration multipliers," or electrolyte supplements, are gaining in popularity for boosting hydration in just one drink. These drink mixes offer a blend of electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and magnesium to enhance water absorption. But are these boosters necessary for staying fully hydrated on hot days? Brunilda Nazario, M.D., chief physician editor of medical affairs at WebMD, told Fox News Digital that staying hydrated is "essential" for health. "Many people think about hydration as drinking water," she said. "Yet it's more than just about drinking water. Hydration is also about maintaining the balance of electrolytes like salt, potassium and magnesium." Nazario said hydration multipliers, or sports drinks, are "right in some circumstances." "Water may be the best replacement for most people that are active — but for some, hydration products are the best way to stay hydrated," she said. "Stains or rings on your clothing while sweating may mean your sweat contains a lot of salt, an essential and critical electrolyte that needs to be replenished." For those who exercise "intensely" or sweat "profusely," Nazario recommends trying a hydration multiplier or sports drink as a "better option" to prevent dehydration. "That's because re-hydration happens faster with products that have sodium," she said. "Be mindful that these drinks can contain high amounts of salt." "While hydration products may be good during hot summer days, if you're watching your salt intake, be mindful that these drinks can contain high amounts of salt." Dr. Glenn Hirsch, a cardiologist at National Jewish Health in Denver, Colorado, said in a separate interview with Fox News Digital that drinking adequate amounts of regular water is mostly "sufficient." But hydration-multiplying supplements can be helpful during exercise in hot conditions, especially if activity lasts for more than an hour. "When a person is sweating a lot or if they are in a dry climate … they can lose a lot of fluids and electrolytes in hot conditions without realizing it," the doctor said. "Replacing fluid and electrolytes is helpful." While electrolyte powders add more salt and potassium for hydration, too much salt and potassium can lead to complications in some people with conditions like high blood pressure or kidney disease. Some supplements also use synthetic sweeteners or sugar, said Hirsch, which is important for people with diabetes to know. "In general, using these in moderation can work for most people when someone is doing a lot of sweating or working in a hot environment rather than just for daily hydration," he said. "In that case, regular water is preferred." Nazario encouraged people to watch for signs of dehydration and not to wait until they're thirsty to drink water, which is a sign you're "already dehydrated." "Drink before, during, and after exercise or outdoor activities on a hot day," she said. "For outdoor activities, drink seven to 10 ounces every 10 to 20 minutes." Hirsch recommended drinking water slowly before going out into hot climates, even as much as four hours before. For more Health articles, visit "Drinking about one-half liter to a liter of water prior to activity can be helpful," he said. "Having at least 500 ml to a liter of water every hour during activity in hot weather is important." "Having sports drinks or electrolyte powders to add to water can be helpful to avoid water intoxication from too much water without electrolyte replenishment, which can occur after an hour of exercise in hot conditions and with large amounts of water intake alone." Hirsch added that having salty snacks can also be a helpful substitute along with regular water during prolonged activity.
Medscape
18-06-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Are Sports Drink Just Colorful Delusions?
Every gym in America is awash in neon. The rainbow array of sports drinks promises to transform weekend warriors into athletic dynamos. For decades, these beverages have occupied a curious space in American consumer culture, somewhere between medicine and marketing, between science and snake oil. Now comes a study showing sports drinks might improve athletic performance. Sort of. Researchers from Peking University in Beijing, China, recently presented a poster at the American Society for Nutrition (ASN) 2025 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, from what appears to be a rigorous experiment: 23 trained adults who consumed a multi-ingredient sports drink performed 15% better during high-intensity exercise than when they drank a placebo beverage. The drink contained a blend of macronutrients and micronutrients: Sugar for immediate energy, taurine and lysine as amino acids, inositol for cellular function, caffeine as a stimulant, and niacin and vitamins B6 and B12 to help metabolize food into energy. The patients experienced less fatigue, maintained higher energy levels, and showed improved metabolic markers that suggested their bodies were preserving muscle protein during exercise, according to the researchers. 'I wouldn't say the findings are shocking or excitingly novel,' said Andrew Jagim, PhD, director of Sports Medicine Research at Mayo Clinic Health System, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The participants were already trained athletes performing structured, 100-minute exercise sessions, a far cry from the typical American's relationship with physical activity. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, adults should spend at least 150 min/wk doing aerobic exercise, but only two thirds of Americans meet this guideline. This disconnect between laboratory conditions and real life gets to the heart of what Stella Volpe, PhD, MS, head of the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, Virginia, calls the fundamental question: 'For the average person who might be exercising 30 minutes a day, likely they don't need something like this. Likely they are fine with just water.' Jose Antonio, PhD, MS, the CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition and professor of health and human performance at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, concurs. 'Traditionally, sports drinks have been shown for decades to improve performance, reduce fatigue, etc.,' Antonio said. 'It often depends on what the ingredients are. We already know caffeine is effective. The most important components of this sports drink are, of course, the fluid itself, but [also] the sugar and caffeine. The rest of it has a minor effect.' Sports drinks can be dense in calories. A 16-oz bottle of AMP Energy, for example, is 220 calories per serving compared with 155 for a 12-oz serving of Coca-Cola. For Jagim, the question becomes one of benefits and costs: 'Are those extra calories in that drink really worth what they're chasing in terms of just burning more calories during the workout?' 'When I train or race, I focus on two things [in a sports drink]: Sugar and caffeine,' he added. 'The rest is ok, but for most, it doesn't matter. Don't trip over dollars to pick up pennies.' But a psychological dimension complicates the purely nutritional calculus. Volpe, a professional athlete on the USA Masters field hockey team, said she will 'hydrate better if I drink more.' Consuming a beverage that tastes better than water can improve overall fluid intake. If a sports drink gets someone to stay properly hydrated during exercise, as long as they do not have diabetes or are trying to lose weight, the modest caloric cost might be worth paying. 'I'd say go for it,' she said. Jagim and Antonio agree valuable future research would be testing different treatment groups using different versions of the same drink. 'Then you'd be able to answer that question of which ingredient is the more important one here,' Jagim said. 'Is it the carbohydrate or the caffeine? Or is it truly, when we combine them, we get that synergistic benefit, where they collectively help each other make you feel better and perform better?' Antonio, Jagim, and Volpe reported having no relevant financial conflicts of interest.
