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The Science Bit
Yes, 'Powerade' may look great in its fancy bottle and yes, it comes in tasty fruity flavours - all good things - but what’s really important is what we put inside. That’s where we get serious.
Let’s start with the fact that 'Powerade' has been expertly formulated to contain the right levels of sodium, carbohydrates (energy) and water so that each can be delivered at an optimum rate. So before, during and after exercise you can be sure your body is perfectly hydrated and feeling energized.
Now here’s where it gets technical. Because 'Powerade' is isotonic it is absorbed at an optimum rate, helping to replace fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes lost through exercise. Clever isn’t it? Well that’s not all.
The electrolyte sodium creates an osmotic potential across the cell wall which draws water into the cell helping you stay hydrated.
We know what you’re thinking. So what is osmotic potential? Basically, osmosis is the process by which fluids are absorbed into the body. Hydration is a highly regulated process that is dependent on the osmolality of plasma in the body; in other words, its a balance of electrolytes and water. Depending on how 'diluted' or 'concentrated' the plasma is, mechanisms are triggered to either take in water, or expel some.
Still following? Good. Now there's one ingredient that's very important to 'Powerade' and that's glucose. This helps the body absorb water and provides energy in the form of carbohydrates. So when you top up the body’s energy levels, the glucose aids endurance as well as delaying muscle fatigue.
There you go, isn’t science amazing? More to the point, isn’t 'Powerade' amazing?
