Evidence Built on Men? Sports Drinks and Performance in Female Athletes: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Introduction: Sports drinks (SD) are widely consumed by athletes across all levels of competition to support hydration, energy provision and performance. However, research examining the efficacy of SD consumption in female athletes remains limited. The

Objective: of this review was to systematically identify and summarise existing literature that examined performance-related outcomes after the consumption of a SD in female athletes.

Methods: The databases MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched up to 14th August 2026. Eligible studies included female athletes classified as Tier 1 or above according to the Participant Classification Framework and investigated the effect of ingestion of carbohydrate–electrolyte solutions or carbohydrate only solutions (hereafter referred to as SD), as defined by Commission Regulations (EU), before, during, or after any sport or exercise activity, on physiological and/or cognitive performance outcomes. Searches were conducted in English; however, peer-reviewed articles published in any language were eligible. Data were synthesised using a narrative approach, consistent with scoping review methodology.

Results: A total of 12,686 studies were identified, with 21 included. A total of 211 participants were identified across all studies (2–43 participants per study). Tier 1 to Tier 5 athletes were represented, with the majority classified as Tier 1 (n = 78) or Tier 3 (n = 77). With the exception of two studies (carbohydrate only beverage), all SDs contained a combination of carbohydrate (4-7.6%) and electrolytes. The most common comparators were artificially sweetened placebos and water. While narrative synthesis was possible, substantial heterogeneity in exercise protocols, SD profiles and ingestion rates limited comparability across studies. Time trials (n = 3 studies) and time to exhaustion performance tests (n = 4 studies) were typically enhanced with SD consumption. Studies that investigated performance outcomes related to power output (n = 5) did not find any benefits from the consumption of SD before or during exercise. Studies that assessed aspects of cognitive function (n = 2) reported conflicting

results. Sport specific performance assessments (n = 3 studies) showed mixed

results. Sport specific performance assessments (n = 3 studies) showed mixed results, with tennis specific sprint test outcomes enhanced with SD consumption, but no performance benefits were identified in collegiate volleyball and football athletes following SD consumption.

Conclusion: Marked variability in study designs, athlete tier, and outcomes limited synthesis and hindered the ability to draw definitive

Conclusions: regarding the benefits, or not, of SD consumption to enhance performance in female athletes. There is a clear need for adequately powered research in female athletes to evaluate whether SDs and the carbohydrate and electrolyte content of commercially available SD is suitable for female athletes considering the current evidence base.