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When it comes to hydration, not all supplements are created equal. At The Formula, we’ve taken a scientific approach to developing HYDRATE, an industry-leading electrolyte blend designed to replenish what your body loses during intense activity. Whether you’re crushing workouts, competing in sports, or simply topping up your hydration through an active day, HYDRATE is here to ensure your body performs at its peak.

We matched our ingredients and doses to align with the typical composition of sweat that you’d secrete when performing activity, whilst retaining an electrolyte profile that is safe to consume even on days you’re not exercising.

Let’s dive into the science behind HYDRATE and explore how each ingredient plays a vital role in optimising hydration and why we’ve chosen it.

Sodium (as Sodium Chloride)

Sodium plays a critical role in maintaining fluid balance, cell volume, nerve function, and muscle activity. As a key osmolyte, sodium regulates extracellular fluid (ECF) volume by controlling water movement across cell membranes through osmosis. When ECF sodium levels are high (hypertonic), water is drawn out of cells, causing them to shrink, which prevents overhydration. Conversely, low sodium levels (hypotonic) cause water to enter cells, leading to swelling. This balance, maintained in tandem with other electrolytes like chloride, is vital for cellular integrity and osmotic stability.

Within cells, sodium is regulated through ion pumps and channels. The sodium-potassium pump (Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase) actively transports sodium out of cells and potassium in, maintaining a low intracellular sodium concentration and influencing cell volume and ionic balance. Passive sodium influx occurs through specialised channels, especially in excitable tissues like nerves and muscles, where sodium movement triggers action potentials. In the intestines, sodium works with glucose via the sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT), enabling the rapid absorption of water and nutrients, which is particularly important in rehydration.

Sodium also plays a pivotal role in nerve and muscle function. In neurons, sodium influx through voltage-gated channels generates action potentials, the electrical signals necessary for communication between cells. In muscles, sodium facilitates the transmission of nerve signals that lead to calcium release, enabling muscle fibres to contract. Without sufficient sodium, these processes are impaired, leading to fatigue, cramps, and reduced function.

In hydration drinks, sodium serves several critical purposes. By increasing extracellular sodium levels, it promotes fluid retention, drawing water into the blood vessels and maintaining blood volume during physical activity. Sodium also replenishes the electrolytes lost in sweat, supporting normal cellular and organ function. Additionally, its partnership with glucose in the sodium-glucose co-transporter enhances fluid and nutrient uptake in the intestines, making it a key ingredient in effective hydration and recovery formulas.

Potassium (as Potassium Chloride, Di-Potassium Phosphate and Potassium Iodide)

Potassium plays a central role in osmoregulation, fluid balance, and muscle function. Predominantly found inside cells, potassium balances the high sodium concentration in the extracellular fluid to maintain fluid equilibrium, cellular hydration, and overall electrolyte homeostasis. In hydration drinks, potassium is essential for proper fluid movement in and out of cells, supporting hydration and muscle performance during physical activity.

One of potassium's primary functions is to draw water into cells, maintaining intracellular hydration. This process is especially important during exercise, as it counteracts sodium’s osmotic effects in the extracellular fluid, ensuring optimal hydration across cell membranes. Potassium also regulates cell volume under osmotic stress. When intracellular potassium is low (hypertonic conditions), water leaves the cells, causing shrinkage and impairing function. Conversely, high intracellular potassium (hypotonic conditions) prevents excessive water entry, stabilising cell volume and avoiding overhydration. By maintaining this balance, potassium ensures cellular stability and hydration during various physiological states.

Potassium supports several critical ion transport systems. The sodium-potassium pump (Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase) actively transports potassium into cells while expelling sodium, maintaining intracellular potassium levels, hydration, and ionic balance. Potassium channels, on the other hand, allow potassium to exit cells, a key step in repolarising cell membranes after nerve or muscle action potentials. This repolarisation ensures continuous nerve signalling and muscle contraction, both crucial for endurance and physical performance.

Potassium is integral to muscle and nerve function. During nerve impulse transmission, potassium exits cells to repolarise the cell membrane, resetting it for the next action potential. This process enables consistent signalling and muscle contractions. Potassium also facilitates muscle relaxation by balancing calcium influx and repolarising muscle fibres, reducing the risk of cramps and spasms. Without adequate potassium, muscle function becomes impaired, leading to fatigue and decreased performance.

The forms of potassium used in hydration drinks, such as potassium chloride and di-potassium phosphate, are highly bioavailable and gentle on digestion. Unlike potassium citrate, which can have mild laxative effects, these forms replenish potassium without gastrointestinal discomfort. Additionally, di-potassium phosphate offers the added benefit of supporting energy metabolism, making it a versatile choice for hydration and recovery.

Magnesium (as Magnesium Bisglycinate Chelate)

Magnesium plays a vital role in osmoregulation, fluid balance, and muscle and nerve function, making it an essential component in hydration drinks. As an intracellular cation, magnesium contributes indirectly to maintaining fluid equilibrium by stabilising cell membranes, regulating ion transport, and supporting the activity of key cellular pumps. While not as prominent as sodium or potassium in direct osmoregulation, magnesium’s supportive role is critical, especially during physical activity.

The magnesium bisglycinate chelate form, used in hydration drinks, offers superior bioavailability and absorption compared to other magnesium forms. By being bound to glycine, an amino acid, this form ensures magnesium is effectively utilised in the intracellular environment. This enhances cellular hydration and stability, helping cells maintain their volume and function even under physical stress or heat. Though magnesium does not directly draw water into cells like potassium or sodium, it stabilizes the osmotic environment and supports sodium-potassium pump function, indirectly aiding cell volume regulation.

Magnesium is a cofactor for the sodium-potassium pump (Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase), the enzyme responsible for actively transporting sodium out of cells and potassium into them. This process is critical for maintaining ionic balance and cellular hydration. Magnesium also regulates calcium channels, acting as a natural calcium blocker to prevent excessive calcium influx. This helps muscles relax after contraction, reducing cramps and nerve excitability, and supporting recovery after intense exercise. Additionally, the glycine component in magnesium bisglycinate offers a calming effect on nerves and muscles, complementing magnesium’s relaxation benefits and promoting a balanced nervous system.

In terms of muscle and nerve function, magnesium is indispensable. It helps control calcium release during muscle contractions and ensures proper muscle relaxation afterward, preventing cramps and spasms often associated with dehydration or intense activity. Magnesium also stabilises nerve cell membranes, ensuring smooth propagation of action potentials. This is crucial for endurance, as it prevents muscle fatigue and supports sustained physical performance.

Magnesium bisglycinate chelate is favoured over other magnesium forms in hydration drinks due to its enhanced bioavailability, minimal gastrointestinal side effects, and stomach-friendly properties. Unlike magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide, which can cause laxative effects by drawing water into the intestines, magnesium bisglycinate is gentler and less likely to cause discomfort. Its superior absorption in the small intestine ensures that more magnesium enters the bloodstream, making it an efficient and effective choice for hydration.

Calcium (as Calcium Citrate)

Calcium is a vital electrolyte that supports muscle contraction, nerve signalling, and cellular function, making it an essential component in hydration drinks. While not a primary osmoregulatory electrolyte like sodium or potassium, it plays a key role in fluid movement, cellular communication, and muscle performance, especially during physical activity. Calcium aids in muscle contraction by triggering actin and myosin interactions and ensuring proper relaxation after contraction, which helps prevent cramps and fatigue. It also supports nerve function by enabling neurotransmitter release, ensuring efficient communication between nerves and muscles for coordination and endurance.

Additionally, calcium helps buffer pH levels during exercise, neutralising hydrogen ions to prevent acidosis and maintain muscle performance. Post-activity, it supports recovery by aiding tissue repair and enzymatic processes critical for energy replenishment. In your hydration drink, calcium is included as calcium citrate, a highly bioavailable and gentle form that enhances absorption, minimises gastrointestinal discomfort, and supports energy production through its citrate component. This makes it superior to forms like calcium carbonate and ensures optimal hydration, muscle recovery, and endurance for active individuals.

Phosphorus (as Di-Potassium Phosphate)

Phosphorus is a critical mineral involved in energy production, acid-base balance, and cellular function. It plays an essential role in hydration, performance, and recovery. As a key component of ATP, phosphorus drives muscle contractions and supports endurance by aiding in the rapid regeneration of energy through the phosphocreatine system. It also helps maintain stable pH levels during exercise, preventing acidosis and supporting optimal enzymatic activity.

Phosphorus contributes to cellular integrity through its role in phospholipids, which form cell membranes, and while HYDRATE focuses on hydration, it also supports long-term bone and teeth health.

We use di-potassium phosphate in HYDRATE for its dual benefits: delivering phosphorus for energy production and potassium to enhance hydration. Its water-solubility ensures rapid absorption, and it is gentle on digestion, making it an ideal choice for hydration support.

Iodine (as Potassium Iodide)

Iodine is a trace element essential for synthesizing thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism, energy production, and cellular processes. While not a primary electrolyte, iodine supports energy metabolism and cellular efficiency, making it valuable for hydration and recovery. By driving thyroid hormone production, iodine sustains energy levels during activity, fuels ion transport mechanisms, and supports muscle function and recovery through protein synthesis and cellular repair.

In HYDRATE, iodine is sourced from potassium iodide, a bioavailable compound that provides both potassium and iodine. Potassium enhances hydration and electrolyte balance, while iodine supports thyroid function. This dual benefit ensures efficient energy metabolism, improved recovery, and enhanced cellular function, enabling better hydration and performance during and after physical activity. Potassium iodide’s high solubility and stability make it an ideal choice for hydration formulas.

Taurine

Taurine acts as an osmolyte, helping cells maintain fluid balance under osmotic stress. In hypertonic conditions, it attracts water into cells, restoring volume, while in hypotonic conditions, it is released to prevent swelling, ensuring cellular stability.

Furthermore, Taurine regulates chloride channels and the NKCC1 co-transporter, maintaining electrolyte balance and hydration. It also stabilizes calcium dynamics, preventing overload, supporting muscle contraction and relaxation, and safeguarding cellular processes.

By preserving cell integrity and balancing fluids and ions, taurine enhances hydration, muscle performance, and recovery, making it a key component of HYDRATE.

Final Words

In crafting HYDRATE, we prioritised not only replenishing the electrolytes lost through sweat but also supporting the broader physiological processes that underpin hydration, performance, and recovery. Each ingredient was selected based on its bioavailability, efficacy, and role in maintaining cellular function, energy production, and fluid balance. Whether you’re pushing through intense training sessions or staying active throughout the day, HYDRATE delivers a scientifically backed formula designed to optimise hydration and keep you performing at your peak.

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