It’s easy to experience fatigue when you’re pushing your body to its limits. The need to hydrate has many of us reaching for sugar-filled sports drinks. It’s got all the electrolytes and energy you need to keep going, right? Well, there’s a better way to hydrate and you can do it naturally.
The truth is, sports drinks may offer a little help under certain circumstances. However, for most people, they’re more likely to get in the way of progress!
Common sports drinks might provide a few electrolytes and manufacturers will try to tell you that the sugar is necessary for energy. But for most consumers, these drinks are just as effective as water in helping with hydration and even the low-sugar options can work against specific health goals.
Too Much Sodium
While it’s true that sodium is the primary electrolyte lost from sweating, that doesn’t mean we have to consume the excessive amounts found in sports drinks. Our modern diets already provide us with a lot more sodium than we need, so sweating for an hour is probably going to do more benefit than harm as long as we are replenishing the other electrolytes.
Consider this: Our average sodium intake is about 3,400 mg per day according to the FDA. However, current dietary guidelines recommend we limit our intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day. That’s 1,200 mg of extra sodium each day that we can stand to lose through sweat.
Now, an average person loses about 2 pounds of sweat per hour of exercise and each pound of sweat contains approximately 500 mg of sodium. This means most people will still have an extra 200 mg of sodium to keep them balanced. Consequently, the sodium provided in most sports drinks (about 150 mg in a 12 oz bottle) is simply not necessary.
Not Enough Potassium
While sports drinks provide more sodium than most people need, they fall short on potassium. Despite the amount of potassium lost in sweat being significantly less than sodium, any potassium loss without adequate replacement is a big problem for most people.
The FDA recommends we get 4,700 mg of potassium each day, but the average daily intake is only 2,700 mg. So, we already start with a deficit and since sodium intake is so high, our electrolytes are out of balance.
Common sports drinks provide 35-45 mg of potassium in a 12 oz bottle. That means we are getting nearly 4 times more sodium than potassium in a sports drink. If we already have too much sodium and not enough potassium, sports drinks will worsen the situation.
Unnecessary Sugar
Unless you’re engaged in significant athletic training or have a physically demanding job, you likely don’t need the extra sugar in sports drinks. In fact, many bodybuilders and fitness gurus now promote keto diets which feature low carbohydrate intakes, especially when it comes to simple sugars. Even in the case of endurance sports, many studies are now reporting that maintaining a keto diet may benefit high performance.
The average person spends and hour exercising, yet our glycogen stores won’t run out for about 90 minutes with moderate to high intensity exercise. (Our bodies store glucose/sugar as glycogen for quick access. Only when our glycogen stores are full does our body begin storing it as fat). This means, unless a healthy person sustains moderate to high intensity exercise for longer than 90 minutes, consuming sugar doesn’t help maintain energy.
So, if sports drinks aren’t the answer, what is?
Fulvic Acid – A Better Way to Hydrate & Maintain Energy
Fulvic acid is a powerful natural substance that supports the body during physical activity.
- Provides ideally balanced electrolytes (ionic minerals)
- Helps improve cellular nutrient uptake
- Supports ATP production (cellular energy)
- Provides antioxidant support to help fight free radical damage
Electrolyte Support
Simply put, electrolytes are electrically charged minerals that do a lot more than just keep you hydrated. These minerals are responsible for:
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- Maintaining fluid balance in and between cells
- Regulating muscle contractions (prevents muscle twitching, cramping, and weakness)
- Balancing pH levels throughout the body
- Providing signals and energy for tissue regeneration
Unlike sports drinks, fulvic acid provides naturally-occurring electrolytes in ratios optimally balanced for human health. When consumed with fulvic acid, these electrolytes are absorbed quickly and easily move into cells to help restore balance and support hydration.
Cellular Energy
The significant electrical charge of fulvic molecules can support cellular ATP production. ATP is the electrical energy our bodies need to function. It is responsible for carrying the nerve impulses that signal bodily functions such as breathing, memory recall, and walking.
Fulvic molecules act as electron donors to our cellular membranes. In other words, they transmit electrical energy to the skin that surrounds each cell. This helps improve membrane permeability to allow nutrients like NAD (the active coenzyme form of vitamin B3) to enter the cell. This is important because NAD is essential in the production of ATP.
Further, increasing permeability allows the body to remove natural toxins (created during biological processes) from cells. This detoxifying process prevents sluggish cellular function and the resulting fatiuge.
Antioxidant Support
Everyday, free radicals bombard our cells. (Free radicals are unstable particles that bounce around and damage cells.) Some free radicals come from our environment, but most are naturally made by our bodies. Antioxidants limit the damage these particles can do by donating electrons which stabilize the particles. Since fulvic acid is highly charged and has the ability to donate electrons as needed, it can act as an antioxidant.
Cellular mitochondria produce ATP energy and are particularly vulnerable to free radical damage. When they become damaged, they produce less energy and create even more free radicals.
In summary, sports drinks offer a lot of sugar, a few imbalanced electrolytes, and an abundance of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. Alternatively, a high-quality fulvic acid supplement helps you maintain optimal electrolyte balance, supports cellular energy and detox, and helps limit free radical cellular damage by acting as an antioxidant. Fulvic acid is a better way to hydrate and it’s 100% natural.
Why spend a couple dollars on a single drink with mild benefits when you can get the support you need the way nature intends? For as little as $0.43 per serving, Mother Earth Labs’ Fulvic 400X can be your solution for premium hydration and ultimate physical performance support. With a risk-free 30-day guarantee, there’s no reason not to order your bottle today!
