By now you know how important it is to stay hydrated. But gulping down eight glasses of water throughout the day is easier said than done. Sure, you have your trusty water bottle in your morning indoor cycling class and make a couple of trips to the water cooler before lunch, but then the day gets hectic, and, well, water #goals tend to get sidetracked.
But there’s a new game changer that promises to keep you hydrated without having to gulp so much agua. Meet Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier, a small powder packet that, when mixed into a 16oz. bottle of water, should give you the same amount of hydration that you'd get from drinking around three bottles of H2O.
It all has to do with a science called oral rehydration therapy. Brandin Cohen, the CEO and co-founder of Liquid I.V., says he discovered the science when he was working in the world of Major League Baseball. “One of the trainers told me about it,” he says. “It was developed by the World Health Organization and was only being utilized in underdeveloped countries to help save lives of children dying from dehydration. This science was deemed to be one of the best medical advancements of the 20th century but wasn’t being utilized outside of third world countries.” (To bring it all back to the technology's origins, for each purchase, Liquid I.V. also donates a packet to Uganda, Haiti, and other places around the world in need of hydration.)
This small powder packet, when mixed into a 16oz. bottle of water, should give you the same amount of hydration that you’d get from drinking around three glasses of H2O.
Brad Thomas, MD, says the Liquid I.V. science, which is known as Cellular Transport Technology (or CTT), works like this: "The Hydration Multiplier packet maximizes water uptake by utilizing the co-transport of glucose and sodium across the abdomen and pulling water along with it. With this optimal ratio of sodium to glucose, water is transported into your body faster than drinking water alone."
The simple ingredients inside the Hydration Multiplier packet include beet sugar, mined salt, potassium, and vitamins B3, B5, B6, B12, and C. So, in addition to promising to make you super hydrated, there are other bonuses. “The vitamin C is an excellent antioxidant and great for the immune system while four types of B vitamins can provide a great boost of energy,” says Dr. Thomas. Basically, if you ever wanted to try to IV hydration therapy (AKA vitamin drips), but are afraid of needles—or the high cost of the service—this is an easier way to get similar health benefits.
And while athletes are big fans of Liquid I.V., Cohen says it was designed for everyone. “Three out four Americans are chronically dehydrated, and we find that many people use it for their daily hydration. But it also comes in handy in specific situations, too,” Cohen says.
Keep reading for 3 ways this at-home hydration hack make a difference in your life.
After an especially tough workout
When you walk out of a HIIT class or indoor cycling studio drenched in sweat, you’ll most likely make a beeline for the water fountain. Because one Liquid I.V. packet equals around three bottles of water, you’ll get more for your gulps and recover faster, Cohen says. "The specific ratio of sodium, glucose, and potassium act as a delivery system of water into your bloodstream more efficiently than almost anything else out there,” he says.
After a long flight
According to Dr. Thomas, dehydration is a key component of jet lag. "You become more dehydrated over the course of a plane flight, so you don't want it to sneak up on you," he says. That’s why travel-friendly packets are a no-brainer for your carry-on. “Personally, this is where it has made the biggest difference in my life,” Cohen says. He used to get jet lag-induced dehydration headaches when traveling long distances, but not any more. “Now I mix one Liquid I.V. into a bottle of water during the flight and one about an hour after I land and it’s incredible…no more headaches!”
After a night out
“It’s also good to have after enjoying one too many glasses of Cab," Cohen says. Once again, it all comes down to hydration. Wine and other alcoholic drinks have a diuretic effect, so reversing that faster and replacing the water you've lost will help you to get up and have an awesome day.
In partnership with Liquid I.V.
Top photo: Liquid I.V.
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