Quantitation of Essential Minerals in Sports Drinks via ICP-AES

Abstract

Sports drinks are widely consumed due to their ability to replace fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes that are lost during physical activities. However, while being beneficial for athletes, there are concerns regarding the inconsistency of mineral labelling, potential adulteration and adolescents’ consumption of commercially available sports drinks. This study aims to quantify and compare the essential elements in various brands of sports drinks (Na, K, Mg and Ca) with their declared concentrations on labelling by using ICP-AES and FAAS.