drinking these 6 types of drinks before running is like running in vain

Long-distance training requires special attention to hydration, especially as the hot summer approaches. Once your body becomes dehydrated, it can cause many problems such as muscle weakness, loss of balance, and more. Therefore, what you drink before running becomes particularly important.

Health experts from Columbia University in the United States recommend consuming 600 milliliters of water or beverages two hours before running, 150 milliliters during warm-up, and 150 milliliters every 10-20 minutes during the run, depending on your sweat rate. This is a significant amount of fluid intake, so you must ensure that your body is consuming the right water or beverages.

Here are 6 types of drinks you should absolutely avoid before running:

1. Dairy-containing beverages

Many runners like to drink chocolate milk after running to recover. Remember Will Ferrell shouting 'Milk was a bad choice' in 'Anchorman'? He wasn't wrong; drinking milk before running is not a good idea.

Dairy-containing beverages are much better to drink after running than before because milk contains not only protein and carbohydrates but also fat, which takes a long time to digest. Therefore, drinking milk before running is not a good choice.

2. Sugary fruit juice drinks

If you are a child, you might love these drinks, but as a pre-run supplement, they are a terrible choice. Most of these drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that can cause liver dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and obesity. However, adding lemon, berries, mint, or basil leaves to water is acceptable.

3. Alcohol

Unless you are participating in a beer mile, drinking a few cans before running is not what you want, even if you drink alcohol a few hours before running. Alcohol can easily dehydrate you, cause inflammation, and make it difficult to maintain balance and make correct judgments while running. If you need a boost, drink some dark roast coffee (which has less caffeine than regular roast coffee) to increase energy and improve performance.

4. Carbonated drinks

Carbonated drinks are a favorite for many people. Fizzy soda or cola can cause bloating, stomach pain, or gas. Replacing carbonated drinks with iced green tea is a good choice as it contains high antioxidants that can reduce the risk of several types of cancer.

5. Coconut milk

Although unsweetened coconut water is a great drink before or after running, you still need to check the label carefully to avoid confusion. Coconut milk and coconut water are very different. Coconut milk contains both coconut water and fresh coconut meat, the latter of which is not suitable for consumption before running.

Compared to coconut water, coconut milk has higher fat content and lower carbohydrate content. As everyone knows, fat takes a long time to digest, and even half an hour after consumption, you will still feel full, making you less inclined to run.

6. Any drink containing sorbitol

During long-distance training, it is necessary to replenish electrolytes, and sports drinks are a good choice. However, you need to avoid those containing low-calorie sugar substitutes like sorbitol.

When you consume too much sorbitol, the likelihood of diarrhea increases. Even small amounts can cause gastrointestinal disturbances, such as bloating. The main reason is that your body has difficulty digesting low-calorie sugar substitutes, and they essentially pass through your system unchanged. If you consume too much, your training session will likely end prematurely.

Therefore, avoid drinking beverages containing sorbitol before running. Most fruit juices also contain a lot of sorbitol, such as pear juice or apple juice. It's better to drink water or traditional functional drinks.