article by Adam Atherton
We as humans are a pretty innovative bunch and there are and have been special people in all fields of study doing incredible things to advance how we live, breathe, think and keep healthy and fit. This holds true to those working at Precision Hydration.
I recently had the good fortune of testing out some of their hydration products, which left me a firm believer in the company’s tagline – The Sweat Experts.
Initially, I had to undergo a sweat test in order to determine which hydration product(s) was best for me. During the test, the people at Precision Hydration analyzed how much I sweat (I sweat a lot) and put me on one of their personalized hydration plans.
Soon after, I received an assortment of hydration packets, capsules and tabs, which incidentally comprise all natural ingredients suitable for both vegans and vegetarians.
Let me pause for a moment and say, Precision Hydration products are not like other so-called energy/sports drinks or supplements that offer nutrition pre-say, rather their science is focussed on keeping the body well hydrated through proper fluid, sodium and electrolyte intake.
In layman’s terms, the body acts like a radiator of sorts, and it’s only with adequate hydration can it serve as a transport for all other things nutritional.
Since moving to the Big Island of Hawaii, my exercise regimen has expanded to include cycling, running, hiking and vigorous activities with my two year old son.
A recent addition to my training schedule involves preparing for the Lava Man Triathlon, which needless to say, provided the perfect test bed for Precision Hydration’s products.
Based on Precision Hydration’s recommendation, their PH 1000 was the ideal choice for me, which is their second to most concentrated blend of Sodium, Potassium, Calcium and Magnesium, along with a small percentage of carbohydrate at 3%.
It wasn’t long into my first of training sessions that I noticed an elevated sense of energy and feeling of being, well hydrated.
In fact, I found myself experiencing greater “stores” at the end of my workout than previously experienced. No longer was I simply “making my way back” at the end of training session, but I felt a better sense of follow-through right up until the finish.
For shorter workouts, Precision Hydration’s Sweat Salts were the perfect choice, where I would plop three of these capsules in about 16 oz. of water and be on my way.
Again, I noticed an immediate improvement in my performance, even without the need of a power meter or heart rate monitor for validation – especially on hot training days.
Perhaps, listening to one’s body is best barometer after all when it comes to measuring proper hydration.
In addition to my personal training, as the director of a high school outdoor program I had occasion to test the products during lower intensity (but, still strenuous) workouts such as backpacking trips through the Volcano National Park, mountain biking along the Mana Road and daily walks that could take in as much as 1,500 feet of elevation gain in only 2 miles.
Again, the results were staggering, where I had more energy and more focus (8+ hours of hiking with packs along challenging terrain while ensuring the safety of a dozen high school kids) than I previously experienced with any other hydration product. Moreover, fatigue that would normally be present during these types of high-impact activities were virtually non-existent, let alone any symptoms of hypo-hydration or the dreaded “bonk”.
In conclusion, over the course of some 20-years, I’ve had occasion to try out numerous hydration products. However, none thus far have provided me with the sense of being “topped-off” and energized like the products from Precision Hydration.
One caveat however, is taste. Not that the powder or capsules were horrible, but at times they required some effort to drink down – especially when it came to the second bottle. This is the result of there being no added sugars or artificial sweeteners.
So, I would simply remind myself that Trix are for Kids, and Precision Hydration is for serious athletes like myself looking to achieve peak performance.
more from Precision Hydration…
Our story
We formally launched Precision Hydration after many years working with elite athletes and technology partners to develop a simple and effective way to help athletes understand and manage their personal hydration needs. I have a degree in Sport and Exercise Science and was a regular podium finisher in elite short course triathlon racing in my younger days.
But, initially, I had very poor results when racing in the heat and at longer Ironman distances. I suffered badly from cramping and had other hydration related issues.This was despite following the widely accepted hydration advice available at the time.
That’s me knocking back some much needed fluids during OTillO in Sweden in 2014. Awesome event…
After years of trial and errorI eventually figured out how to effectively manage my individual sodium and fluid intake to maintain my performance. I was helped significantly in that process by Dr Raj Jutley, a highly respected heart surgeon who introduced me to the concept of sweat testing and the huge variance in sweat and sodium losses that can occur across athletes.
It was through my own search for an effective solution that, with Dr Jutley’s input, the Precision Hydration concept was born.
As things progressed, we got exclusive access to patented sweat testing technology that requires no physical effort from the athlete.The technology has a long, credible history as a diagnostic test for Cystic Fibrosis and the test is simple, painless and extremely accurate.
There’s a tray of our lovely multi-strength Precision Hydration tablets…
We also developed our own range of effervescent electrolytes early on because existing products were simply not strong enough to meet most serious athletes’ needs.
One-size-fits-all doesn’t cut it when it comes to hydration.Just look at our management team, I lose nearly twice as much sodium per liter of sweat than our Head of Operations, Jonny.
Jonny paddled for Great Britain and is a double World Silver Medallist.
Word soon started to spread that we were offering a unique, personalized hydration solution and pretty soon we were providing our service to a growing list of professional sports teams in the English Premier League, International Rugby Union, the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, Formula 1 Motor racing, MotoGP and Indy Car, as well as elite individuals from the worlds of cycling, running, triathlon and more.
We’ve even worked with firefighters and service personnel who are exposed to high levels of heat stress and sweating, helping them maintain performance in even the harshest of environments.
We were now building up such a wealth of data on how athletes sweat that we were able to build an algorithm-based questionnaire to deliver personalized hydration adviceeven if an athlete couldn’t make it to one of our test centers.
Our mission is to give every athlete access to a personalized hydration strategy so that they have the best chance of achieving their goals.
Andy Blow
Founder
P.S. Want to meet the rest of the team? I’ll introduce you.
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