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| Easy to carry Precision Hydration tubes and Sweat Salt capsules |
As elite athletes, we know that hydration is incredibly important in ensuring that our bodies are able to cope and recover from the demands of high intensity training. But there are always questions around what does good hydration involve? Is it just about drinking litres of water? In our training group no. Our coach has always advised that whilst drinking water is of course important and advised, you don't want to drink so much that you flush out all of the important electrolytes that help the body to perform. Then of course there's the question of cramp, a frustrating muscle spasm that can occur at any point during training, which is so often linked with hydration. Whether you're half way up a sand dune or speeding your way around the bend of an athletics track, cramp can strike at anytime. But furthermore to this, hydration for someone with type 1 diabetes such as myself is exceptionally important, because it's an integral component of managing to keep my blood glucose levels in check.
I approached the Precision Hydration team to do a trial on their hydration strategies, to see if they could offer a solution to the problem of obtaining effective hydration. Immediately upon speaking to the team I realised that this was no ordinary hydration product. As, before I was offered any type of hydration solution, I was asked to take a 'sweat test'. Which involved working with a 'Sweat Expert' from the team to ascertain how much sodium I was losing through sweat. Which is exactly what I had been looking for- a more tailored approach to hydration. The results of the sweat test showed that I was in the higher range of sodium (mg) lost, which acted as the basis to inform how I later used the different levels of hydration that I was given to try.
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| Precision Hydration Sweat Salt Capsules |
Precision Hydration kindly provided me with a tube of each of their H2ProHydrate options, which are available in 250, 500, 1000 and 1500 measures, in addition to a packet of their Sweat Salt capsules. I decided to try the 250 citrus flavoured tablet first, that I added to a 500ml glass of water. The tablet dissolved within seconds and the taste was very refreshing. I took this the morning after a heavy track session, with another speed endurance session to come that night. I noticed that throughout the day I felt more alert and refreshed, and come the session I felt more energised to train. Sometimes with back to back sessions, especially at the end of the week, I can start to feel a bit 'lacticy' and lethargic during the warm up. However, I feel like the additional electrolytes added to my normal food consumption helped my muscles feel less lacticy.
A different day I tried the H2ProHydrate 500 citrus flavour option after my training session instead and the results that I saw here relate to the results I observed when trying the hydration tablet option before a Sunday morning training session. The tablets are a very innovative idea and I can imagine athletes also with high hydration demands, that are on the go appreciating this option. This was when I noticed the biggest difference in terms of my physiological response. As normally on a Sunday 9am session I struggle with blood glucose maintenance a little because I don't have much insulin on board coming out of the night. However, due to my very responsive nature to insulin, I can still have a tendency to drop during the session and have to use a temporary basal. But this means, normally, that after training I see a spike in blood glucose levels.
But on the 3 consecutive Sunday sessions that I tried this method of supplementation, I found that I could maintain my blood glucose levels within the range of 6.0mmol and 9.0mmol both during and after the training session. Which in itself also helps my hydration because having high blood glucose levels makes me dehydrated. The other benefit of H2Pro Hydration is that there are almost zero calories and less than 1g of carbs in a tablet. Which means that I did not see a blood glucose level spike caused by them. I'm looking forward to trying the 1000 and 1500 hydration options during a competition environment where the different rounds of racing greatly impact on hydration, and reporting back. However, I was impressed by the professionalism and scientific knowledge of the Precision Hydration team, and the quality of their products. And am grateful to them for letting me test their range and in doing so helping me find a solution to a long deliberated training problem.
**N.B- Please note that if considering Precision Hydration;
Do not exceed the recommended daily dose
Do not use as a substitue for a varied diet
Store out of the reach of young children
H2Pro Hydrate is a food supplement - See more at: http://www.precisionhydration.com/collections/all/products/h2pro-500#sthash.DNrrsSo0.dpuf
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