The Official Fluid Blog

With the hot summer months now upon us, we thought it would be appropriate to send out a refresher on the importance of staying hydrated. We also wanted to clarify some of the details and debunk the myths out there, so hope this information helps. Cheers!

Water is the single most essential nutrient to the body. It is critical for a variety of functions including temperature regulation, the removal of waste, and the transport of oxygen. Without water, the human body cannot survive.

In order for water to be effective, electrolytes must also be present. Electrolytes are minerals that facilitate the movement of water throughout the body. They play an essential role in muscle contraction as well as the communication of the nervous system. The primary electrolyte required is sodium, however others such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium also play vital roles.

Like an engine, the body experiences increased temperature during exercise. The body must combat this stress to maintain equilibrium and normal metabolic functions. Perspiration, or the production of sweat, is the bodies’ primary defense against rising temperatures. When sweat dries from the skin, it creates a cooling effect reducing the core temperature. Sweat consists of water, as well as electrolytes. Thus, both are lost and must be replaced.

Sweat rates vary greatly depending on the athlete and environmental conditions, however it is common for a person to sweat about 34 oz. per hour of exercise. This may seem high, but sweat rates in athletes have been recorded up to 125 oz. (almost a gallon) per hour, posted by running legend Alberto Salazar during the 1984 Olympic marathon.(2)

Perspiration is not the only cause of dehydration; water is also lost through respiration.  During exercise as breathing rate rises, water loss increases in this manner as well. Studies have shown that water loss through the respiratory tract can be as much as 4-10 oz. per hour of exercise!(3)

Urination is another source of fluid loss. Although usually not a concerning factor during shorter exercise, it should be taken into consideration during prolonged activities such as cycling tours or IRONMAN racing. (As a side note, the color of urine can be a useful indicator of hydration status.)

*All percentages are expressed in percent of body weight lost as sweat.

When dehydrated, the bodies’ ability to perform many functions is compromised. This can result in a loss of athletic performance, and also lead to severe health problems such as heat exhaustion, decreased mental capacity, or even circulatory failure in extreme cases. Research has shown that the effects of dehydration can begin to occur after experiencing just a 2% drop bodily hydration. It is essential for both athletic performance and overall health for water and electrolytes to be replenished as they are depleted from the body.

Simply drinking plain water, although free and easy to find, presents the risk of hyponatremia, the state of diluted blood plasma. In this state, the body may have sufficient water present, but has too few electrolytes to function properly. Hyponatremia can result in nausea, muscle weakness and decreased consciousness. Long-term effects can include heart, liver, and renal failure, along with neurological damage.

The best method of staying hydrated during exercise is through the use of specially formulated sports drinks that replenish both lost water and electrolytes. Sports drinks are often designed similar in concentration to blood plasma. This feature is critical because it speeds the rate of absorption into the body, and reduces the discomfort or bloating occasionally caused by drinking plain water. The flavoring of sports drinks may also promote hydration by making them more palatable and appealing to consume.

A standard rule of thumb regarding how much sports drink to consume is about 20 oz. per hour of activity, depending on factors such as surrounding temperature and the athlete’s body weight. Recent studies by the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, however, suggest that thirst is a good indicator of current hydration, and that for best results the user should simply drink when they become thirsty.(5)

Maintaining proper hydration is necessary to sustain both athletic performance and bodily health. Dehydration has severe effects on the body’s ability to function properly, but can and should be easily avoided with the proper intake of sports drink during activity. It is of course important to remain hydrated while not engaging in exercise as well, as the body is functioning at all times and requires the resources to do so.

Last month, we received this question via email:

"Dear FLUID, I've been using a different post workout recovery drink that contains whey protein concentrate. What's the difference in concentrate protein vs. the isolate protein in your product?"

Well, we're glad you asked!

There is a significant difference between whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. Plain & simple, whey isolate is more pure, approximately 90-92% protein by weight, with the remainder consisting of moisture. It is lactose, fat and cholesterol free and will not cause gas, bloating or stomach discomfort with individuals who are lactose sensitive or intolerant.

Concentrate whey is available in three forms: 30%, 50%, and 80% protein by weight. The remaining percentage consists of lactose, milk fat, and cholesterol. The more pure, the more filtering & thus the more expensive. The kicker is that a manufacturer can use the ingredient term "Whey Protein" or "Whey Protein Concentrate" at any of the three levels of purity to save cost while the end user would not know the difference. Sometimes manufacturers use the term "Whey Protein Blend", which means concentrate and isolate whey have been mixed together to bolster the value on the label, but to lower the cost of production.

Another form of whey protein available is called Whey Protein Hydrolysate. Hydrolysates are predigested, partially hydrolyzed whey proteins that may be more easily absorbed, but their cost is generally higher and they are very bitter in taste.

FLUID uses exclusively Whey Protein Isolate in all our recovery products, and would advise our friends, family, and fans to do the same. Whey isolate is more expensive than whey concentrate, but it is a cleaner, more pure product that will not cause digestive issues like concentrate.

Cheers!

Richard Smith
Founder/CEO

8 years ago, I was a collegiate athlete working out 8-10x a week. To enhance recovery and maximize the results of my training, my coach at the time suggested I start consuming a post-workout drink containing carbs, protein, and electrolytes. He told me it was a critical component of training that many athletes skipped, but that if I wanted to be the best athlete I could be, I should focus on this huge detail! He gave me options that included popular canned diet shakes,  smoothies and chocolate milk. He also said I could make my own if I felt so inclined...little did he know I would take him up on the idea, but that is another story entirely!

The purpose of this post is to address the recent explosion of using chocolate milk as a recovery drink. It seems that not a week goes by where someone says to me, "How does FLUID Recovery Drink compare to chocolate milk?" Or, "I already have the best recovery drink, I use chocolate milk!" So in an effort to deliver quality information on a larger scale, here's my rundown on the positive & the "other" of chocolate milk:

The Research:

The Good:

Chocolate Milk is a liquid source of protein and carbohydrates. It tastes good and is always a nice change from most sugary tangy sports drinks. It can be cost effective if you buy it by the gallon, but that's a lot of chocolate milk to drink, so most people by it by the pint which equates to about the same cost as any other drinks these days including a Starbucks coffee, which  = $2/serving.

The Other:

1. Protein:

 Not all protein and carbohydrates are created equal. The protein source is milk protein, which comprises of about 80% casein protein and about 20% whey protein. See the diagram at right courtesy of WheyofLife.org.

Both are excellent complete proteins, however casein is a more complicated protein that takes between 4-5 hours to digest. Whey protein has been shown to digest as fast as 45min and usually tapers by 60min. When time is of the essence due to the body's recovery window, whey protein is the clear winner. Chocolate milk also contains lactose, fat, and cholesterol. Lactose can cause stomach upset, gas, and/or bloating even in people who are not lactose intolerant, and most certainly in people who are. Milk fat can also slow the digestion/absorption process, another thing to avoid when speedy absorption is of the essence. 

2. Carbohydrate

The carbohydrate source of chocolate milk is usually high fructose corn syrup or sucrose, both of which are not ideal carbohydrate sources. Any remaining carbohydrate is comprised of lactose. Any combination of these sugars on a sensitive stomach can also cause an upset stomach. A quality recovery drink will use a carbohydrate that's both quick to absorb yet gentle on the stomach and will usually be lower in sugar. 

3. What's missing

Chocolate milk does not contain added glutamine, which can help support the immune system & can help manage aches, pains, & soreness by reducing inflammation. 

Here is a quick table to break down the key items and how Chocolate Milk & FLUID Recovery Drink compare:

Comparison Chart
	Chocolate Milk	Fluid Recovery Drink
Protein Source	80% Casein, 20% Whey	100% Whey Isolate
Protein Digestion Speed	Slow	Fast
Carbohydrate Source	HFCS, Sucrose	Maltodextrin, Fructose
L-Glutamine	No	Yes
Lactose	Yes	No
Fat	Yes	No
Cholesterol	Yes	No

Final Thoughts: Chocolate milk is a source of liquid carbs & protein designed for a tasty alternative to regular milk. Use it if you drink milk and want to treat yourself to something tasty. Using it as a recovery drink is like being up to bat, swinging a 2x4 instead of a baseball bat to hit and expecting a homerun. While they may be made of similar ingredients, the purpose of their creation is entirely different. If you want to maximize your fitness results, use a tool that was designed for the job of muscle recovery, rehydration and replenishment from the very beginning. You will have less chance of a stomach ache, you'll feel like eating real food again sooner, and you'll mitigate inflammation better with the added L-Glutamine.

Cheers,

Richard Smith
Founder/CEO

Here at FLUID HQ, we occasionally get emails with questions about what FLUID is and how it works. We love these emails because concerned, honest questioning benefits everyone. Knowledge is power; drink it up!

Here's the question from a recent email:
Looks like you almost have a great product.....why ruin it with fructose?? What about using stevia or agave? Thanks for you consideration.

Here's what Richard Smith, FLUID Founder & CEO had to say:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your concern and for contacting us. It sounds like you've been doing your own research and are trying to make the best nutritional choices you can. I will attempt to answer your concern, however I won't know for sure without your feedback. Please let me know your honest thoughts after you read our explanation.

1) The ingredients you mentioned, agave & stevia, were options at our disposal in the creation of FLUID. For specific purposes they were not used.
2) Fructose plays a critical role in sports nutrition that is lesser known & less discussed, often because the benefits of fructose are overshadowed by the discussions associated with high fructose corn syrup, junk food, and obesity.

Fructose is metabolized through a separate pathway from glucose in the body. It is also metabolized more slowly, correlating to a lower rise in blood sugar. These two features provide a second source of energy when the body is importing glucose during exercise, and provide blood sugar stability to avoid rapid rises/crashes with glucose-only sources of carbohydrates. We call this "parallel processing". It has also been proven repeatedly that athletes who are fed drinks with a glucose-fructose mix vs. glucose alone will outperform their competition during exercise, and will reload their carbohydrate stores faster and more effectively after exercise. This is critical because without glycogen reloading, the bodies' ability to perform in subsequent bouts of exercise is decreased.

3) While stevia is an option for a sugar substitute in foods, it does not provide the functional benefits that fructose does because it does not contain calories or carbohydrates. Agave is another great option for a sugar substitute, however, agave is naturally high in fructose. This accounts for its sweet taste (fructose is much sweeter than other sugars), and the fructose content explains why agave is a lower glycemic alternative as well.

4) Crystalline Fructose & High Fructose Corn Syrup are not the same nutritional compound. While they may both come from corn sources today, they are metabolized differently and have a different effect in the body. As mentioned above and in my citation below, fructose is a positive nutrient to consume during exercise. Please see this study as one example of many and note that the source is the American College of Sports Medicine, a highly credible organization composed of sports physicians, cardiologists, and exercise physiologists: http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/2005/03000/Oxidation_of_Combined_Ingestion_of_Maltodextrins.13.aspx

Also, the author of the article you linked, Andrew Weil, MD, speaks about moderation with fructose and its varying benefits on his website. I've taken this paragraph directly from his discussion on fructose and agave:

"Agave has been getting a lot of bad press recently in connection with its fructose content. In fact, the fructose in it accounts for its low glycemic load. The body does not metabolize this natural sugar well, so it does not readily raise blood sugar (glucose) levels. In moderate amounts - as in fruit, honey, and agave - fructose in the diet is not a concern. Very large amounts, as one might get through high consumption of sugary drinks made with high fructose corn syrup, probably affect liver function and promote insulin resistance and obesity in many people. In the animal study you mention, the doses given were huge. So I wouldn't worry about the effect on your liver of modest quantities of agave or fructose." Source: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400722/Is-Agave-Syrup-Dangerous.html

To come full circle, we are staunch advocates of natural foods and living a healthy lifestyle, rich in exercise. Fructose is a natural sugar found in many foods that plays a critical role in the performance of the body during and after exercise. In our effort to make the best recovery drinks possible with the latest information from the scientific community, we chose the most appropriate ingredients we could.

Please let me know your honest thoughts and feedback, and thank you for your time.

Kind regards,

Rich
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All of us at FLUID hope you found some new information in these words. We urge you to continue your own research and quest for knowledge in all of your healthy athletic pursuits. And let us know when you have a new question! In the meantime, we too will be working hard to stay at the forefront of nutritional research and development to bring you the very best performance nutrition for humans.

Cheers!
Team FLUID

Jack Lalanne was a visionary. As a kid growing up in San Francisco, California in the 1920's, Mr. Lalanne was addicted to junk food. He was unhealthy, self-conscious and mean. Then one day he went to a talk by health food pioneer Paul Bragg. Young Jack was 15 years old and he left that talk determined to turn his health around. That fateful day would later become known as the beginning of Jack's reign as "the godfather of fitness." Lalanne would go on to study chiropractics, and in 1936 he opened a gym and health spa in Oakland, California. Lalanne's revolutionary fitness empire had begun! 

But that's just the back story! On top of being one of the most charismatic people around (his charisma helped a good bit with his TV show from 1951 to 1985), this guy was an animal! For instance, at the age of 41 Jack swam from Alcatraz Island to Fisherman's Wharf in the cold and rough San Francisco Bay...while handcuffed. When he was 60 he repeated the swim. But this time he was handcuffed, shackled, and towed a 1000 pound rowboat across the bay! Of course, these feats are just the tip of the iceberg for the man who first brought the idea of weight training into American homes. He continued these incredible feats into his seventies, constantly inspiring and leading folks everywhere to be happy, take care of themselves, and live the healthiest life possible (sound like a familiar mission?).

A novel could be written about the things Jack Lalanne accomplished in his lifetime. And even then, words could not describe his character. So please, if you haven't been affected by Mr. Lalanne, we encourage you to find out for yourself. Check out his website jacklalanne.com or watch one of his many videos to find out more about what he accomplished in his 96 years with us. Mr. Lalanne passed away on Sunday, January 23, 2011 in the coastal town of Morro Bay, California. But his legacy lives on in everyone who strives to be happy and healthy.


Cheers Mr. Lalanne! And thank you for everything.

Team Fluid