The Truth About Sports Drinks at the World Cup: What's Actually in Those Bottles

Sugar, salt, and timing. The formula is simpler and sneakier than the marketing.

<p>Strip away the neon colors and a match-day drink is doing three jobs: replacing fluid, replacing sodium lost in sweat, and drip-feeding carbohydrate to working muscles.</p>

<p>The carb dose is a balancing act. Too little and the fuel tank runs dry in the second half. Too much and the gut rebels, which no player wants in front of a packed stadium.</p>

<p>Some squads even use a mouth-rinse trick: swishing a carbohydrate drink without swallowing can nudge the brain into feeling fresher, an effect measured in multiple lab studies.</p>

<p>The takeaway for your Sunday league: hydration is a schedule, not a moment. By the time you feel thirsty on the pitch, you are already behind.</p>