Coconut water for athletic recovery

Please don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love coconuts, and coconut water. Living in the tropics, it is one of my favourite parts of my diet, and I consider myself lucky to have such ready access to this liquid gold.

As an athlete, I used to think that drinking coconut water was beneficial for my recovery; for helping my muscles recover after a heavy workout, or my electrolytes and hydration rebalance after a particularly long, sweaty run.

But is there really any proven benefit to drinking coconut water over regular water?

Coconut water has been found to be a viable option for home-based rehydration in the earlystages of gastro intestinal distress, even though it does not have a complete electrolyte profile. That said, it can be an OPTION as part of a more complete treatment plan. In no way am I saying that coconut water can 100% rehydrate you after you’ve had gastro/food poisoning/other, and I recommend that if you are experiencing these things, to always seek advice from your healthcare provider. For people experiencing mild distress and diarrhea, it can be a step to assisting recovery, however any significant health concerns should always be directed to a doctor.

When it comes to other health conditions, the wide-spread recommendations are even more particular; As coconut water is so high in potassium, it is recommended that people with renal disease don’t consume it, especially in excess, as it can cause life-threatening hyperkalaemia. For people with diabetes, even one liter of coconut water may be significantly damaging to their system.

What about sports people?

While it may be an option for rehydration in early stages of gastro intestinal upset, when addressing rehydration in relation to strenuous exercise, across numerous studies (linked below), no significant evidence was found to favor coconut water over regular water, or sport-directed electrolyte beverages.

Brushing aside rehydration efforts to examine athletic performance exclusively, comparing coconut water with regular water also found that the coconut option offered no significant benefits to athletes trying to improve their performance levels. In fact, a number of athletes found that their stomachs and digestive systems were more likely to be upsetby the coconut water than by regular water, indicating that drinking it while exercising may actually be a hindrance, rather than a benefit. Some participants in the studies found that drinking coconut water delayed total exhaustion, but not in a statistically significant way when compared to drinking regular water.

What does this mean for you?

This means that if you are looking for a cheap and easy rehydration solution, sticking with normal drinking water is your best (and most affordable) bet. Coconut water is a wonderful drink, and definitely one of my favorites. I often drink both fresh and packaged water, however prefer to keep it as a rare treat, rather than a daily requirement. The flavor and perceived sweetness may make it easier to drink fluids after exercise, and this may be the reason you drink it, but don’t be fooled into thinking that you need it in order to reach your athletic peak. Sometimes the best things in life really are free.