The Key to Optimal Hydration: It's about Absorption, Not Sodium Replacement.
Hydration isn’t about dumping electrolytes into your body as a replacement, it’s about something far more important: optimizing how your body absorbs and uses the water you’re already drinking.
The Real Problem: Plain Water Isn’t Always Enough
If you have visited any shop in Ireland over the last couple of years you will see shelves full of drinking tumblers that look similar to the famous Stanley Cup originals that made drinking water trendy. Anything that promotes water consumption is great but if your body doesn’t have the right balance of electrolytes, especially sodium and glucose, it won’t absorb that water effectively. Instead, it flushes the excess water out, making you run to the bathroom more often and losing more water in the process.
Sodium’s Role: A Little Goes a Long Way
Sodium is vital for helping trigger your body’s fluid absorption mechanisms, particularly in the small intestines. But here’s where I found so many hydration products go wrong - they overload on sodium with some brands offering over 1000mg per serving.
In fact, Dr Stacy Sims who has spent her adult life studying hydration and has over 70 peer-reviewed research papers stated recently on The Proof Podcast that “we can afford to lose up to 50% of our sodium stores and not be affected because we're just looking at how the body is transporting water from one space to another”. Instead, what’s more important, is ensuring that you have just enough sodium to activate the pathways in your body that allow it to absorb and retain the water you're drinking. That’s why with Pilgrim Hydration, I focused on a low-sodium approach. Remember, it’s not about replacing what you’ve lost, it’s about using the right amount of sodium to help your body transport water to where it’s needed most—your cells and tissues.
The Balance of Sodium and Glucose: The Secret to Hydration
Here’s where it gets really interesting—sodium isn’t the only player in hydration. Glucose is just as critical as sodium. Without glucose, your body can’t fully open the floodgates that allow water to be absorbed efficiently. This is why Pilgrim Hydration’s formula strikes a careful balance between sodium and glucose.
Too much sodium can make your body hold onto water, but not in the right way, leading to bloating or water retention. Too little sodium, and you won’t properly absorb the water you drink. That’s why we don’t overload on sodium like many other hydration products. Instead, we use just the right amount of sodium and glucose to create the perfect environment in your small intestines for optimal water absorption.
What Makes Pilgrim Hydration Different
Our low-sodium (300mg), balanced electrolyte blend is specifically designed to allow for optimal water absorption without overwhelming your system. Remember, it’s not about replacing lost electrolytes—it’s about ensuring your body retains the right amount of water for the right amount of time. Add L-Glutamine for muscle recovery, Chicory Root Fibre for gut health and Zinc for immune support you have a complete recovery drinks mix.
The Bottom Line: Hydrate Smarter, Not Harder
When you start focusing on how your body absorbs water instead of just replacing lost sodium, you’ll feel the difference. Better hydration means better performance, improved focus, and most importantly, a real sense of feeling ready for whatever your day may bring!
Further Reading & References for blog:
- Sodium’s Role in Hydration and Fluid Absorption
-
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/22/4759#:~:text=Sodium%20helps%20maintain%20blood%20osmolality,dehydration%20%5B5%2C8%5D.
- Effects of Sodium Intake on Health and Performance in Endurance and Ultra Endurance Sports
- Dr Stacy Sims
1 Comment
Awesome 👌 good to know, thank you xx
By Laura
Oct 07, 2024