One of the latest rages involves energy and sports beverages; consumers demand these types of beverages to give them a boost during the day. No longer meant only for athletes, everyday patrons purchase these sports beverages at an alarming rate.

It may seem impossible, then, to keep tabs with the ever-changing sports drink market. How do you know what type of beverage is the right fit, and how can you keep track of any changes to the market? That's why it's imperative to locate the best informative sources, keeping you one step ahead of the competition. When examining sports drinks news and trends, consider the following:

1. Look online for trends regarding sports and energy drinks.

2. Subscribe to magazines and other publications that feature information about sport drinks.

3. Locate blogs, and follow along to learn about recent updates from sports drink manufacturers.

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Locate websites about sports drink manufacturers, and peruse them for the latest news

Follow along on websites that feature suppliers of sports drinks for the latest news and trends. These websites can be a wealth of information, as oftentimes they post press releases about recent changes or additions to a sports beverage company's product line.

I recommend: Check out Beverage Industry Today and its section about Powerade, which is one of the top-selling sports drinks on the market. PerformanceDrink is new to the market, and it's sold in two formulas: training and pro blends. Read the news section on the site to keep up with the latest information.

Find press releases and fact sheets online that feature information on sport drinks

Stay informed with the latest news about sports drinks through press releases and fact sheets. Educate yourself and read about any advances in the beverage industry. Associations and organizations are a great way to stay in the loop, and you can network with other people who are passionate about sports drinks.

I recommend: The American Beverage Association provides a wide range of information about the beverage industry, including updates in sports beverages. Check WebMD and its article about energy drinks. It provides information on caffeine contents of some of the more popular brands.

Read blogs based on energy and sports beverages, and take part in the discussion

One of the most effective ways to contact others with a similar interest is through blogs. Updated often, these blogs can showcase different sides to the energy drink industry. These types of drinks also can be high in sugar, so it's best to be fully informed about the caffeine crash.

I recommend: Look to Consumer Reports Health Blog to read about some precautions in regards to sports drinks. Check out the Health Foods Blog and read through posts about endurance drinks. Choose to sign up for RSS feeds to be notified of new postings.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Pay attention to your location when following the sports drinks news and trends. Certain flavors and brands work better in some areas of the country than in others.

If energy drinks are in demand at your office, do your homework to find the right suppliers. The energy and sports beverages available on the market vary widely in vitamin content, calories, ingredients and cost.

While the sale of energy and sports beverages has spiked in recent years, take caution in encouraging their consumption. Even though they do have less calories than soda, they usually have too much sodium, caffeine and sugar. However, if your business involves employees exerting energy, working out or taking physical fitness breaks, sports drinks may be worthwhile. When looking for a sports beverage, consider the following:

1. Take a poll of your employees to find out favorite brands or flavors of energy drinks.
2. Ask employees if there are ingredients in sports or energy drinks to limit or avoid.
3. Ask sport drink manufactures for samples before you commit to a big order.
   

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Compare popular brands for suppliers of sports drinks and energy drinks

The most popular brands of sports drinks are Gatorade and Powerade. Both companies offer information of how they can help the body. When you think of an energy drink, Red Bull usually comes to mind.

I recommend: Gatorade offers a look at how the product helps the body. Powerade lists the vitamins in their drinks. Medioncorp has a comparison chart of popular sports drinks, including the carbohydrate and sodium information. Red Bull lists the benefits of their drink on its web site.

Compare ingredients of popular energy drinks and sports drinks

The amount of certain ingredients, such as sodium and caffiene, varies widely among sports and energy drinks. Take time to compare what they are made of and how it will benefit or hurt the body. Suppliers of sports drinks may be willing to send you nutrition charts and samples before placing an order.

I recommend: USDA allows you to search on a type of beverage to get nutritional information on sport drinks. Active.com lists what to look for in a good sports drink. Accelerade lists the science behind their drinks and where you can buy it.

Encourage healthier options to energy drinks

Your employees may love energy drinks, but offer alternatives too. They will get a quick caffeine or sugar rush and then crash. So, if you don't want employees asleep at their desks, provide options that keep them energetic longer. Consider incentives to drinking water.

I recommend: WebMD points out the dangers of getting hooked on energy drinks. Healthnewsdigest.com offers some healthy alternatives to energy drinks, such as water and tea.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Know the difference between sports and energy drinks. Sports drinks are aimed at hydration after an athletic event. Energy drinks are more of a stimulant, popular among young people, with large amounts of caffeine and sugar.

Whether you’re deciding what type of sports drinks to sell or to stock for your employees in company vending machines, sports drinks advice and ratings can help you choose the most popular, healthy and safe beverages. Because the drinks’ vitamin content, calories, carbohydrates and prices are so different, reviews and news articles can give you helpful side-by-side comparisons.

Gather information from a variety of reliable sources to obtain information on the best and worst energy and sports beverages. Get reviews written from different angles to get information on sport drinks that cover everything from nutritional value to taste. You can:

1. Consult consumer review websites that summarize popular reviews on suppliers of sports drinks and sports beverages to give you an unbiased look at the product offerings.
2. Study articles and discussions of energy drinks and sports drink manufacturers written by physicians or medical professionals to determine the nutritional value of sports drinks.
3. Check out websites and publications written and visited by sports enthusiasts for real world reviews of popular energy drink makers and sports drink offerings.

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Find reliable reviews and energy drink information on consumer review websites

Websites and publications devoted to product reviews are a good source of information when searching for details on a particular supplier of sports drinks or specific energy drink. Listings typically include price, ingredients, nutritional value and taste comparisons.

I recommend: ConsumerSearch compiles sports beverage reviews from reliable websites and publications to list the best sports drinks in a variety of categories. Get reviews of energy drinks through the Consumer Reports website if you don’t subscribe to the publication. Check the reviews of specific energy drinks including manufacturing details, company information and taste tests through BevNET.

Consider medically related energy drink articles if you have health concerns

If you're more concerned about the medical benefits of sports and energy drinks than you are about taste or company reputation, consider medical based advice about sports beverages offered through medical publications and websites.

I recommend: WebMD features articles that compare sports drinks, energy drinks and water for the effectiveness and nutritional benefits they’ll give you when you exercise. Such articles also provide advice on the best ingredients to look for when purchasing energy drinks. Check out the energy drink guide on AOL Health to find the best sports drink options. Compare the nutritional value of sports drinks by name at NutritionData.

Discover popular sports drink makers through publications aimed at athletes

If you're curious about how energy drinks perform in the field, get first-hand reviews from athletes and physical fitness buffs through sports-related blogs and magazines. Find the type of publication that relates to your main business (if you sell bicycles and also want to stock energy drinks, for example) to discover the best products available.

I recommend: Read articles and get advice on sports beverages from Athlete in Me. Information includes comparison charts that list the amount of carbohydrates, sodium and caffeine of popular sports and energy drinks. Get reviews including the pros and cons of several sports drinks from the fitness enthusiasts’ website Outside Away.

Energy drinks are a hot commodity, whether provided to office environments or to larger sports-related businesses. It's imperative that you become familiar with some sports drinks key terms in order to offer the highest-quality products. If a client desires sports drinks, then you must know the difference between those and energy drinks. Mixing the two would be damaging to your reputation. But if you familiarize yourself with common terms, then you should be well on your way to a profitable business.

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Sports drinks

Sports drinks are geared more toward hydrating the body after a sporting event. Whether it's after a grueling football game or a workout, sports drinks contain water, sodium, potassium and sugar to provide the body with hydrating fluids and offer a boost for the muscles after a tough bout of exercise.

I recommend: Learn what the three popular sports drinks brands are at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

Energy drinks

Energy drinks aim to boost a person's energy through a mix of caffeine and sugar. These drinks are geared more toward the college-age crowd or those under the age of 30. A popular stimulant added to energy drinks is ginseng.

I recommend: Visit Brown University to learn more about energy drinks.

Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system. It is added to energy drinks to provide an extra boost and elevate moods. Caffeine is not stored in the body, but if ingested, people may feel its effects for up to six hours.

I recommend: Look to The Nemours Foundation to learn more about caffeine.

Sodium

Sodium is a mineral found in many sports drinks. It's used in these drinks to spurn thirst, making people want to drink it more. Sodium is required for normal day-to-day body functions, and in athletes, it is lost faster due to sweating.

I recommend: Learn more about sodium at SportsMed Web.

Electrolytes

Electrolytes serve several functions when ingested: they maintain acid levels and control the osmosis of water within the body, both of which are vital when people exercise. Located in sports drinks, electrolyte concentrations are found in sodium chloride or potassium chloride.

I recommend: Learn how electrolytes work at HowStuffWorks.

Carbohydrates

Sports drinks are loaded with carbohydrates to help replenish fluids lost due to exercising. The higher rate of carbohydrates in the drink means that it takes more time to leave the stomach.

I recommend: Visit MamasHealth to learn more about carbohydrates in sports drinks.