Does your stomach slosh during training? Are you fatigued and cramping even though you're drinking plenty of fluids? If so, it may be time to try a new hydration strategy. Here’s why… There are many different schools of thought surrounding proper hydration (high cal, low cal, plain water, high salt, low salt, etc.) and proper fueling (gels, chews, whole foods, simple carbs, complex carbs, oh my!) We get that it can be confusing… The fact is, what works for one doesn’t always work for another. That’s why we always recommend listening to your body as you experiment with different techniques and products. Some athletes do really well on gels and/or high-cal drinks. And some athletes don’t… Still, the key to hydration while you are training is the ability for you to rapidly absorb the fluid you are drinking and not have it sit in your stomach and slosh around. The key to this is the osmolality of your drink, it has to be lower than the osmolality of your blood to get absorbed quickly. This is where Osmo (hence the name) really shines. Osmo Active Hydration is big on keeping your hydration separate from your calories. They’ve gone deep into the science of hydration and created a unique approach that many athletes love as they feel more hydrated and have fewer gastric issues. If you feel your current hydration strategy isn’t working for you, OSMO active could be what you need to up your hydration game and reach the next level in your performance… How Does Osmo Hydration Work? Osmo Active Formula contains the ideal ratio of sucrose, glucose, and electrolytes to replace body water and power you through your workout. Flavored with real fruit and natural ingredients, Active quickly gives you the hydration you need, improving endurance and power while reducing cramping and fatigue. Their lower carbohydrate percentage, at 3.5% compared to the average 6-8%, ensures that you don’t get residual “slosh” in your stomach from delayed gastric emptying. Benefits 👍 Super fast-acting hydration while exercising, with no stomach "sloshing" 👍 Replaces lost body water with an optimal ratio of sucrose, glucose, and electrolytes 👍 Improves circulation and muscle respiration so that you can push harder 👍 Reduces cramps so that you don't burn out as quickly 👍 Delays fatigue so that you can keep going for longer 👍 Boosts endurance and power so that you can achieve even more in your sport Have you heard of OSMOLALITY? You’ve probably read plenty about how important hydration is to performance. But you may not have heard of how important osmolality is to optimal hydration. So here’s a quick primer -- The official definition of osmolality is the concentration of a solution expressed as the total number of solute particles per kilogram. Essentially, osmolality is how many particles of “things” (solvents) are in a liquid. The more “things,” the higher the osmolality. The fewer “things,” the lower. Now the reason why this matters is that if your hydration drink has a high osmolality (think high-calorie drinks, for example), it may actually pull liquid away from your cells and muscles and into your stomach, reducing power in your muscles and contributing to that sloshy feeling. Here’s why… When you consume a high osmolality liquid, it will enter your stomach and stay there for a while instead of passing immediately into your bloodstream and interstitial fluid (the fluid between your cells). This is because it needs to go through some level of “digestion” to remove the extra “stuff’ (solvents) before it is at a concentrative match to your blood plasma. Only when it is a match in osmolality to your own natural fluids can it be utilized as a hydration source. What’s more, during this digestive process, your body will actually pull liquid away from your working muscles to be used in the breakdown and dilution of the liquid. This is why consuming high-calorie drinks and syrupy gels can have a negative effect on many athletes and lead to dehydration, The Solution The solution is to consume liquids that are a MATCH to your blood plasma osmolality. When you do this, science shows that the liquid will go into your stomach and then immediately pass through your lining into your bloodstream and the interstitial fluids surrounding your cells. This means you will get instant hydration and no strain or drop in hydration because you won’t be pulling any precious liquids away from your muscles. This is why osmolality can be such a key factor in whether your hydration is working for you or against you! But, What About Energy? Now, I know what you’re probably thinking… but what about my calories?? We all know that when you’re training hard, running, cycling, climbing, whatever it is, you’re burning through your calories like there’s no tomorrow. Obviously, you need some way to replenish to keep going. The makers of Osmo agree with this! However, they have an interesting saying which is: “food in your pocket, hydration in your bottle,” meaning athletes should not rely on liquid calories for their fuel source: calories should be eaten, and one should drink for hydration. This does go against a widely held belief that liquid calories are the best way to hydrate and fuel for a race. However, by using solid food for energy and liquids for hydration, blood sugar and hydration will be optimized, and uncomfortable side effects like bloating, sloshing, and GI distress are avoided. 🔬Here’s The Science… Osmolality Science Fluids supplied with osmolality above 300mosm/kg, (i.e. hypertonic solutions), cause not only delays in gastric emptying but also, more importantly, will cause fluid shifts from the body to the gut before absorption occurs. Such delays in rehydration introduce the real potential to delay and reduce performance (Alonso, 1998, Hargreaves, 1991, Sowka et al, 2000) How To Use Osmo Active Hydration: Mix Active with your during-workout water and drink throughout your exercise. Everybody is different, so we recommend starting with 20 oz of Active Hydration per hour of exercise. When you work out, see how you feel and adjust accordingly.
