Why Does Water Taste Sweet After an Intense Workout? I Asked an RD To Find Out

Are your first gulps after a long run or strenuous ride noticeably delicious?

Here’s why water tastes sweet after intense exercise.

Im an Exercise PhysiologistHeres Why You Shouldnt Worry About Cortisol Spikes When You Do HIIT Workouts.

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Heres What Experts Had to Say

The first gulps of water I have after a long run are delicious.

woman sweating in the gym

registered dietitian, exercise physiologist, and owner ofJM Wellness

Theyre refreshing and life-giving, yes, but the water alsotastesgood.

It actually tastes sweet, to be more precise.

Isnt water a famously, um, neutral flavor?

Woman walking on a treadmill at the gym.

And why does it taste different after one of my long runs?

There doesnt seem to be any well-researched reasons for it, Machowsky says.

There are, however, a lot of theories.

Full body female athlete in sportswear using rowing machine during fitness workout in gym.

The first hypothesis has to do with the idea of heightened sensitivity.

Heres What Experts Say

Happy woman dancing and listening to music near a green empty wall outdoor in the city.

Or something else could be going on entirely.

Intense, prolonged exercise.

Healthy female training in the gym, performing a hip thrust.

Being in ketosis can have some physical manifestations, includingwait for itsweet breath.

So drinking water and noticing a sweet flavor could come from the interaction of water and your own breath.

The ketogenic state resulting in sweet breath is not something you should necessarily aspire to.

A young black woman doing post-run stretches in the park on the road amidst green grass and trees.

Intense exercise can sometimes exacerbate that condition.

So confirm youre giving yourselfproper nutritionandplenty of restin between workouts so you could keep living that sweet life.

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