The use of sports supplements and nutraceuticals have become a commonplace practice amongst many fitness enthusiasts as well as professional athletes. We are constantly striving to improve performance and maximize fat loss through the use of ergogenic aids and other products marketed towards physical improvement with the hope of becoming a modern day Ponce de Leon. Nowadays, the latest trend seems to be in the water. It appears that we have traded in our regular water bottles for better water, but do these enhanced water products really work?

Fitness waters have become a huge market claiming a variety of benefits targeted at enhancing performance including providing adequate hydration and an alternative to plain water. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, adequate fluid replacement helps to maintain hydration therefore optimizing and enhancing performance of those participating in regular exercise. They recommend flavored waters to promote hydration and to increase palatability. For this reason, products such as Propel Fitness Water are a great alternative to plain water to increase fluid consumption and meet the optimum amount of water consumption per day, thereby enhancing performance and decreasing the risk of dehydration.

Fitness waters boast added vitamins and minerals, and often other “functional” ingredients, and have fewer carbohydrates than traditional sports drinks. A combination of high-fructose corn syrup (the beverage industry’s sweetener of choice), crystalline fructose and sugar substitutes keep the carbohydrates and calories low. Other benefits claimed by some of the fitness waters include increased thermogenesis and enhanced fat loss. One particular ingredient that is common in many of the fitness waters is green tea extract which has replaced ephedra as the key compound in the new non-ephedra fat burners and thermogenic aids.

Are fitness waters and vitamin waters better for you than plain water? The added electrolytes, sugar, vitamins, and minerals may help with post-exercise muscle soreness. Other than that, the main reason to choose flavored water is if you are more likely to drink it than plain water. Fitness waters as a water replacement are beneficial for those who do not drink enough water. The companies manufacturing their water replacements are not promising anything but a better tasting alternative to plain water, which is a promise they make good on. Fitness waters and sports drinks as a thermogenic aid may or may not be beneficial. Green tea extracts are a promising avenue for fat burning but do not necessarily need to be obtained through over-priced sports supplements.