Physiology of Hydration

Athletes have long tried to counteract the adverse effects of strenuous activity, rigorous competition, and high intensity training. The consumption of water helps maintain body temperature and blood volume, but water is absorbed relatively slowly, and this type of hydration or fluid replenishment is really only extracellular. Extracellular is the fluid outside the cell, which is found in three compartments that collectively equate to 20% of the body's water, whereas intracellular is the fluid inside of the cell which represents 40% of our body weight and equates to 70% of the body's water. True cellular hydration (intracellular), however is far more complicated than drinking water or a "sports hydration beverage" that is simply electrolytes and carbohydrate. Drinking water will improve your overall hydration status, but it will not significantly alter the ratio of intracellular to extracellular fluid. Water moves in and out of the cells with electrolytes. Electrolytes are chemicals that form electrically charged ions (particles) in body fluids.

Water moves in and out of the cells with electrolytes. Electrolytes are chemicals that form electrically charged ions (particles) in body fluids. These ions carry the electrical energy necessary for numerous physiological functions including muscle contractions and the transmission of nerve impulses, as well as many bodily functions depend on electrolytes; optimal performance requires a consistent and adequate supply of these electrolytes. Research in the field of cellular hydration has shown that when cells absorb water and swell (cellular hydration), this action acts as a positive stimulus. An increase in cellular hydration triggers the anabolic (rebuilding / recovery) mechanism, this anabolic state is accompanied by a positive nitrogen balance, protein synthesis and growth hormone release. Cellular hydration results in a balanced pH, increased fat burning and reduced free radical damage. On the other hand when cells become dehydrated, this triggers a catabolic reaction or degenerative state, resulting muscle wasting, inflammation and a greater risk of injury.

Because so many people do not fully understand the complexity of what true cellular hydration is or how it works, many athletes consistently train, exercise, compete and live in a dehydrated or near dehydrated state (intracellularly) as they neglect consistent and proper electrolyte replenishment. They don't think they are dehydrated because they don't "feel" dehydrated, or they haven't been experiencing cramps or other outward signs of extreme dehydration, but none the less, their cells are not fully hydrated for optimal performance or recovery. Proper cellular hydration is not about preventing cramping, but specifically to maintain the positive mechanism that true cellular hydration provides with regards to promoting energy production from glycogen resynthesis, stamina, muscle function and performance and recovery. The focus of most hydration/rehydration beverages and sports drinks is to replenish lost electrolytes and to provide carbohydrates for energy. These products contain electrolytes or partial electrolytes some with carbohydrates (mostly sugar), but they do not contain all the essential nutrients needed to provide the rapid cellular hydration needed by athletes and active people engaged in strenuous activity, endurance sports, high intensity training or competition.

Sodium is the key extracellular electrolyte, whose function is in regulating water balance and blood pressure and in the generation of action potential (function) in skeletal muscle and nervous tissue. With potassium being the key intracellular electrolyte, whose function is the repolarization of action potential (function) in skeletal muscle and nervous tissue, controlling blood pressure, maintaining osmotic pressure and in the proper pH balance.

The Future of Hydration is H2O Overdrive. 

Based on these and other hydration studies and extensive oral hydration research, H2O Overdrive was formulated with a direct focus on driving intracellular hydration. Intracellular hydration is a key anabolic mechanism that drives energy through glycogen resynthesis, improve muscle function, increases stamina and protein synthesis and enhances recovery.  Many products have been introduced over the last 2 decades claiming to address hydration, but the reality is that these products contain incomplete electrolytes and do not contain all of the essential nutrients, vitamins, minerals or amino acids to drive intracellular hydration or improve muscle performance and recovery.  The most dominant such product in the market has used massive ad campaigns to push a high sugar content that may taste great, but could easily lead to insulin sensitivity or diabetes for heavy users. 

Over the last decade, many athletes were so fed up with high sugar drinks with electrolytes pretenses, that they avoided these so called electrolyte drinks and simply relies on plain water. Water can only provide part of the hydration solutions, as it hydrates the body extracellulary (outside the cells) leaving the largest balance of your body’s fluids untouched, as extracellulary hydrations only impacts 20%  of the body’s fluids, while intracellular hydration impacts 80%.  While pure water will not cause diabetes as the high sugar drinks have been shown to, the need of the athlete is far optimal hydration, which water alone can’t provide. H2O Overdrive is precision combination of water protein, carbohydrates, electrolytes, specific amino acids essential vitamins and minerals that stimulate and promotes the uptake of the fluids and nutrient to be drawn “inside” the cells, resulting in intracellular hydration. 

H2O Overdrive accomplished this task by delivery 8 grams of protein which is essential for intracellular hydration in a 3:1 precision ratio with 24 grams of low glycemic response carbohydrates that further support energy, recovery and cellular function.  This along with a balanced ration of electrolytes that are necessary for proper hydration and the maintenance of proper fluid levels and body functions, combined with essential amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other vital nutrients, all with only 3 grams of sugar and 148 calories.  Each 20 ounce serving also delivers a full 5 grams of fiber.  Aside from much better contractive ability of a muscle when properly hydrated, the potential for injury is also far less with optimally hydrated muscles.  The fact that an athlete will also benefit from the carbs and protein in the H2O Overdrive, as muscle fuel in addition to the hydration benefits, is just one more unique attribute of this product- unlike high sugar drinks which will cause an insulin spike in most athletes, leading to a net loss in energy available to the muscles.  H2O Overdrive’s nutritional payload is delivered without unwanted blood sugar spiking,….. and the result is muscle that actually feel the energy entering into them!

Unlike water and hydration products like electrolyte or carbohydrate and electrolyte drink, H2O Overdrive actually pulls nutrient into the muscle cells, 30 to 40% better than pure water can, actually hydrating the body at the cellular level. 

Hydration within the cell at the cellular level is true cellular hydration.  Cellular hydration is the mechanism which drives energy production through glycogen resynthesis, stamina, muscle function and recovery.  For optimal performance during a competition – recovery must start when the workload begins, this is what ensures stamina and energy throughout the task, as well as recovery and muscle repair after.