Sports imPULSE

Tested: The Sports Drink From Space

We had previously written about The Right Stuff here.  We actually found a writer, Mike Haney, who is training for the New York City Marathon, from Popular Science who actually tested it, here's the excerpt:

Did you know that several of the NASA research centers scattered around the country keep lists on their Web sites of the technologies they have available to license and sell to the public? Neither did I, but that's why I'm not launching businesses like David Belaga is. He's the CEO of Wellness Brands, which plucked a beverage NASA developed to keep astronauts hydrated and just started selling it as The Right Stuff, a concentrate for elite athletes that want to separate their electrolyte intake from their carb intake (carbs in sports drinks typically being some form of sugar).

I consider myself more of an elite non-athlete, but on a few recent runs, I poured some Right Stuff vials into bottles of water to see if it helped keep my whistle wet.

The Right Stuff is a mix of three electrolytes: citrate, chloride and sodium. Together those last two make salt. It's counterintuitive, but salt is important when you run -- they even hand out salt packets at marathon aid stations -- mostly because you tend to lose more through sweat than you replace with plain water, and too little sodium can wreak havoc. At worst, it leads to hyponatremia, a condition that's gotten headlines in the last couple of years for killing beginner marathoners who drank too many fluids during the race, diluting their sodium levels.

So why not just sip salt water? Because that can give you diarrhea, which sucks on mile 14, but sucks a lot more on a spacewalk. So NASA honed this formula for maximum electrolyte delivery -- hydration -- with minimal nausea. Belaga's team created the flavored versions, berry and citrus (it's also available unflavored), with the challenge of not adding any sugar (carbs). After swigging bottles of all three versions, I believe that they've succeeded there, because it is decidedly unsweet. All three tasted the same to me: salty enough to elicit a bitter-beer face, but not harsh like straight saltwater, and with little aftertaste -- it reminded me of something you'd swish at the dentist's office. At the risk of sounding like a pretentious foodie, it has an odd mouthfeel -- it almost feels extra wet, and left me spitting more than usual. One colleague in the office asked for more after trying it.

So is it worth it? I will say that, on a hot six-miler, I felt less thirsty but drank more than I usually do (which is good but a little unexpected, since one of the side-effects of salt intake is that it's supposed to make you feel more thirsty so you'll drink more). It certainly did its job -- replacing my electrolytes without any extra sugar.

In Your Fridge: Soda, Milk and now NASA's The Right Stuff?

NASA's new sport drink replenishes electrolytes in and out of orbit.

Who do you trust with your thirst mutilating needs, an athlete or a rocket scientist? Well, NASA is hoping that you’re sick of watching basketball players hock sports drinks. Instead, they're hoping you'll turn to their new product, The Right Stuff, for all your extreme hydration needs. It's got what astronauts crave.

I wouldn't have believed it either except for an official NASA press release on the creation of a drink promising results "under the most extreme conditions." Delivering “20% more endurance than other sports drinks” (whatever that really means), the product claims to be perfect for the average person suffering from exercise, heat exposure, altitude sickness, microgravity, and even re-entry dehydration. Boasting the optimal isotonic concentration of electrolytes and carbohydrates the drink claims to provide superior performance on the ground, up in the air, and even further out. No need to worry about your intra- and extra-cellular fluid levels after one “single-serve vial” of The Right Stuff.

Currently, the only flavors are Citrus Blend, Wild Berry, and unflavored White. Hopefully this will do better than NASA’s last foray into the drink market with Tang.

Update - Sportaktive 50% Off Coupon

After our mention of Sportaktive yesterday, the folks there have been kind enough to offer all of our readers a 50% off coupon.  When placing an order online, just use the coupon code ENDURANCE and you will receive 50% off.

Thanks Sportaktive!

Sportaktive - Could It Be Better Than Gatorade?

We all know that Gatorade is the 800 pound gorilla when it comes to sports drinks and their new G campaign will certainly increase their profile.  It looks like Vitamin Water is carving out a unique niche for themselves in enhanced water with less sugar.  And, now here comes Sportaktive, a US-based company with roots in Scandinavia.  They've been developing their product and refining the formula since 1997 and are now ready for a major international push.

What the difference in electrolytes?  Electrolytes in fluid give a better chance for your body to obtain its peak performance, receiving maximum hydration and sustained muscle activity than plain water and sugar based drinks.  Some of the benefits include:

- Restore electrolytes and fluid faster.
- Reduce muscle cramps.
- Enhance with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
- Combats mental fatigue.
- Only 10 calories per 32 fl. oz.

Let us know what you think, is it the G, Vitamin Water or the new Sportaktive?