We see them time and time again, conveniently within the grasp of our favorite athletes. They are the name brand sports drinks that accessorize victory and ward off defeat. At least, that’s what the creative ads tell us.

But in reality, how much do these flavored drinks truly enhance performance? Sure, they can replenish electrolytes and carbohydrates, but how necessary are they?

And couldn’t we just drink water?

Well, here are a few vital things to remember when consuming sports drinks:

Unless you’re running a marathon or participating in a pretty intensive workout, you probably don’t require one.

The danger in relying on these flavored drinks is that you end up consuming more than you’re expending. As your favorite flavor undoubtedly contains a good amount of sugar and salt (see calories), you might be better served in settling for water during your average workout.

On the other hand, if you’re into intense workouts or long and sustained exercise, the sodium found in your average sports drink will help to prevent dehydration – particularly in hot weather.

And here’s an idea, if you’re concerned with the calorie intake of your drink in relation to the energy you expend – or you just want to save a few bucks - make your own.

Really, it’s not that hard. Here is a simple recipe for a homemade drink we found that can obviously be adjusted to fit your performance needs.

4 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup boiling water
¼ cup orange juice or 2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 ¾ cups cold water

In the bottom of a pitcher, dissolve the sugar and salt in the hot water. Add the juice and remaining water and chill.