Optimal athletic performance depends not only on training and nutrition but also on maintaining the right balance of fluids and minerals in your body. Water alone cannot fully address fluid losses incurred during exercise; electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, chloride, and magnesium are equally vital. Understanding how hydration and electrolytes work together can help you train harder, recover faster, and stay safe in any environment.

Why Hydration Matters

During exercise, your body loses water through sweat to regulate core temperature. Even a 2 % loss of body mass from dehydration can degrade endurance performance by impairing cardiovascular, thermoregulatory, and metabolic functions. When plasma volume drops, the heart must pump faster to deliver oxygen to working muscles, raising fatigue and reducing power output.

The Role of Electrolytes

Sweat doesn’t just contain water—it also carries away key minerals. Electrolytes perform several critical roles:

• Fluid Balance: Sodium and chloride retain water in the bloodstream, preventing excessive fluid shifts that can cause cramps and hyponatremia.
• Nerve Impulses: Sodium and potassium maintain membrane potentials necessary for nerve signal transmission.
• Muscle Contraction: Calcium, sodium, and potassium coordinate excitation–contraction coupling in muscle fibers.

Failing to replace both water and electrolytes can dilute blood sodium levels, leading to headache, nausea, or even more severe hyponatremia.

Performance Consequences of Imbalance

• Endurance Declines: A 1–2 % body-mass loss can shorten time-to-exhaustion and reduce maximal aerobic power (VO₂max) by up to 5–10 %
• Heat Stress Risk: Impaired sweating and skin blood flow elevate core temperature, raising the likelihood of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
• Neuromuscular Dysfunction: Electrolyte depletion contributes to cramps, weakness, and slower reaction times.
• Cardiovascular Strain: Reduced plasma volume forces the heart to work harder, increasing perceived exertion and cardiac fatigue.

The Sodium-Glucose Co-Transport Advantage

One of the body’s most efficient ways to absorb water and electrolytes is via the sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT1) in the small intestine. When glucose and sodium are present together in the gut:

1. Sodium binds to SGLT1.
2. Glucose then co-transports alongside sodium into the enterocyte.
3. Water follows osmotically, enhancing fluid uptake.

This mechanism underpins oral rehydration solutions used worldwide to treat dehydration and is the basis for modern sports drinks.

WHO Guidelines for Oral Rehydration

To combat dehydration—particularly in clinical settings—the World Health Organization recommends a reduced‑osmolarity ORS with the following molar composition per liter of water:

This formulation maximizes water and electrolyte uptake via the sodium–glucose co-transporter in the small intestine, reduces stool output, and lowers the need for intravenous fluids.

Administration Recommendations

• Adults & Older Children: 200–400 mL after each loose stool or as needed to replace ongoing losses.
• Infants & Young Children: 20–50 mL after each loose stool, given slowly by spoon or dropper.
• Daily Intake for Moderate Dehydration: Up to 2–3 L of ORS solution in addition to normal fluids, tailored to individual losses.

Our Product: B · SYNC® Electrolytes

Building on WHO’s gold‑standard ORS, B · SYNC® Electrolytes delivers a ready‑to‑use, great‑tasting formulation in single‑serve sachets:

• Clinically Balanced Formula: Glucose, sodium, potassium, and citrate tuned to ~245 mOsm/L for rapid absorption
• Natural Raspberry Flavour & Red‑Beet Color: No artificial sweeteners or dyes, making hydration enjoyable
• Convenient Sachets: Mix with 250–300 mL water before, during, or after exercise—or anytime you need quick rehydration
• Scientifically Proven Mechanism: Leverages sodium–glucose co-transport to accelerate fluid uptake and recovery

Key Ingredients & Benefits

• Glucose: Drives efficient sodium—and thus water—absorption in the intestine
• Sodium & Potassium: Restore electrolyte balance critical for nerve, muscle, and fluid homeostasis
• Citrate (from Red‑Beet Extract): Enhances buffer capacity and provides natural color
• Natural Raspberry Flavour: Turns hydration into a refreshing ritual

Whether you’re an endurance athlete, weekend warrior, or simply combating daily dehydration, B·SYNC® Electrolytes offers a science‑based, delicious solution to keep you at your peak.

Evidence-Based Hydration Strategies

1. Pre-Exercise Hydration:
• Drink 5–7 mL/kg body weight at least 2 hours before training to ensure euhydration.
2. During Exercise (< 60 minutes):
• Plain water usually suffices for short sessions in mild conditions.
3. During Exercise (> 60 minutes or in Heat):
• Consume 200–300 mL of a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution every 15–20 minutes (sodium ~500–700 mg/L; carbohydrate 4–8 %) to sustain fluid and energy delivery.
4. Post-Exercise Rehydration:
• Replace 150 % of fluid lost (e.g., for each kg lost, drink 1.5 L) and include sodium to improve retention.
• Monitor by weighing before and after sessions and checking urine color (pale straw = good; dark = needs more).

Resources:

Sawka, M. N., Burke, L. M., Eichner, E. R., Maughan, R. J., Montain, S. J., & Stachenfeld, N. S. (2007). American College of Sports Medicine position stand: Exercise and fluid replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 377–390.

Cheuvront, S. N., & Kenefick, R. W. (2014). Dehydration: Physiology, assessment, and performance effects. Comprehensive Physiology, 4(1), 257–285.

Holm, L., Thorén, M., & Lindström, B. (1994). Cotransport of water by the Na⁺/glucose cotransporter. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 269(37), 23183–23188.

World Health Organization. (2004). The Treatment of Diarrhoea: A Manual for Physicians and Other Senior Health Workers (4th rev. ed.). Geneva: WHO.