Without proper hydration, critical fitness factors such as endurance, coordination, speed, and strength suffer. While water is always on standby, we now have solutions that can more rapidly rehydrate, or preferably, prevent dehydration altogether.
Yet with so many formulas available today, making a choice is more complex than it should be. We know that sugary sports drinks aren’t the answer, but does that mean we’re skipping sugar altogether? What other nutrients matter? Who’s really on the cutting edge of superior, performance-supporting hydration?
Keep reading as we compare two popular hydration drinks by LivPur and BioSteel. We’ll break down the brands, the formulas, and how they work.
What happens if you are dehydrated?
The first signs of dehydration are lightheadedness, dry mouth, and thirst. You might also experience fatigue, muscle cramping, and headache. Many of these symptoms are due to the blood becoming thicker and more highly concentrated, putting extra strain on the cardiovascular system.
It’s important to begin rehydrating at the first symptom. If you continue to lose fluid without replacing it, fatigue will intensify. You might even experience confusion or loss of consciousness.
In more serious cases of prolonged dehydration, the kidneys and brain may sustain damage.
Performing high-intensity activity of any kind quickly causes fluid loss. From sweat to saliva, you dry up a lot faster than anticipated. The best course of action is to prevent all of this by keeping water or a hydration solution close at hand. Drink it regularly before, during, and after activity.
Is it okay to drink hydration drinks every day?
As long as you legitimately need to hydrate, yes, they are generally okay for regular use. However, you should always examine the label and read up on recommendations for a particular product.
About LivPur
LivPur Nutrition is a performance nutrition and wellness brand that puts emphasis on safe, clean, effective products. LivPur supplements are NSF Certified for Sport and endorsed by professional athletes and trainers.
In addition to the Hydrate rehydration solution, the brand currently offers Energy and Recovery formulas as well as whey and plant protein powders.
About BioSteel
BioSteel is a popular sports supplement brand founded in Canada. Their primary focus is clean, healthy hydration for athletes and busy people alike. BioSteel products are used by many professional sports leagues, most notably the National Hockey League.
The company offers sports drinks, hydration mix, plant protein, whey protein, greens powders, and BCAA supplements.
LivPur Hydrate: Activating the Sodium-Glucose Transport System
LivPur Hydrate mix is a rapid rehydration solution packed with electrolytes and amino acids to help fight fatigue, improve athletic performance, and fuel muscle growth. It comes in single-serve stick packs and dissolves easily in water or a beverage of your choice.
Examining the supplement label, the formula appears suitable for most people. It’s vegan and non-GMO, completely free of dairy, soy, gluten, artificial flavors, and caffeine. It comes in six flavors.
One standout factor is the amino acid profile; there are 11 represented. This is much more well-rounded than many others, which tend to rest on BCAAs and little else. The wider range can go further in promoting total wellness in addition to supporting muscle growth and energy.
Next, we have carbs and sugar- a few things most competitors try to avoid. However, the carbohydrates (in the form of cluster dextrin) and the sugar (glucose) are included for a good reason.
Cluster dextrin is fast-acting but specializes in sustained energy release without sugar spikes. A modest amount of glucose (three grams) is present because it helps sodium cross the intestinal wall to access the bloodstream. This is called sodium-glucose transport, and it makes way for electrolytes and water to get through, which is why LivPur touts its formula as a rapid hydrator.
No hydration drink is complete without electrolytes, and LivPur includes five: magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and zinc.
As a bonus, Hydrate also contains four essential vitamins: C, E, B6, and B12. B vitamins are common in formulas like this for their positive impact on energy levels, brain, and nerve function. The methylated form of B12 is also a positive since it offers better absorption.
Each stick pack contains 100% of the recommended daily value of vitamin C, which may help with long-term cartilage and joint health as well as support the immune system.
Finally, most varieties of Hydrate are NSF Certified for Sport, which helps ensure quality formulas, high manufacturing standards, and accuracy in labeling. The NSF is the only agency recognized by the US Anti-Doping Agency and several professional sports leagues.
BioSteel Hydration Mix: Zero Sugar and Essential Electrolytes
Like LivPur Hydrate, BioSteel Hydration Mix is vegan, non-GMO, and NSF certified. It’s free of gluten, dairy, caffeine, and artificial flavors and colors.
Each of their seven flavors comes in single-serve packets. The formula is meant to be mixed in water, but it could work with other liquids.
The amino acid profile is much narrower at just four, but one feature that may be of interest is that these are fermented plant-based aminos. It’s also lower in carbohydrates and contains zero sugar. However, it is sweetened with stevia.
Hydration Mix contains five electrolytes. Where LivPur emphasizes quick, effective hydration, BioSteel sticks with electrolytes as a headliner, explaining the importance of some of them as follows:
“Sodium maintains body fluid balance and prevents cramping during physical activity. Potassium is important for nerve signaling and muscle contraction. Calcium is responsible for muscle contraction and normal heart rhythm.
Magnesium is critical for supporting muscle relaxation and helps support over 300 reactions in the body. Humans are commonly deficient in this important mineral.”
As we’ll see coming up in the side-by-side comparison, BioSteel’s electrolyte content is reduced in proportion to its smaller serving size. It’s still a straightforward blend that would support hydration.
BioSteel’s vitamins differ a bit, too. There’s no C or E, but they do include vitamin B6 and a synthetic form of B12. There are additional ingredients such as niacin and inositol, but the amounts are so small that they can’t be applied to the researched benefits.
LivPur or BioSteel? A side-by-side comparison.
To help sum up all of the above, here’s a breakdown of the beneficial ingredients per serving from each formula.
|
LivPur Hydrate (14.4 g) |
BioSteel Hydration (7 g) |
|
|
Amino Acids |
11 |
4 |
|
Vitamins |
C, E, B6, and B12 |
B6 and B12 |
|
Sugar (per serving) |
3 g |
0 g |
|
Carbohydrates |
7 g |
1 g |
|
Calories (per serving) |
30 |
5 |
|
Calcium |
50 mg |
18 mg |
|
Magnesium |
80 mg |
5 mg |
|
Sodium |
270 mg |
140 mg |
|
Potassium |
50 mg |
33 mg |
|
Zinc |
2.2 mg |
0.16 mg |
The Winner: LivPur Hydrate
LivPur’s stick packs contain more product than a BioSteel drink, which may initially raise the question of whether the difference in nutrients comes down to serving size.
However, upon closer inspection, the fact is that LivPur includes vitamins BioSteel doesn’t, as well as a more diverse array of amino acids.
There’s also a clear difference in brand philosophy. BioSteel is strictly against the inclusion of carbohydrates and sugar in hydration mixes. LivPur leverages small amounts of both (just 3% and 6% of the RDV, respectively) to speed up electrolyte delivery.
When the pressure is on and you’re losing fluid fast, every second counts. LivPur understands this better than others.
The Biggest Benefits of Hydration Drinks
Once you choose the best hydration solution, here is where you should look for improvements.
Better performance.
Sweat contains electrolytes. Professionals recommend drinking solutions containing glucose and electrolytes to compensate for the loss. This reduces cramping and sustains carb and protein synthesis.
The result? You start hitting your performance targets with greater ease.
Better recovery.
Hydration drinks can also promote healthy water balance in the muscles and tissues. After a strenuous workout or other high-intensity activity, this water balance is essential to healing those tiny tears.
Nervous system health.
Exercise stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, which is great for performance. However, your cognition, focus, and reaction time can all deteriorate when you begin to dehydrate. This is an important issue even when you’re not under physical strain.
Electrolytes are essential minerals that facilitate communication between the brain and body. When you maintain electrolyte balance, you’re much better at handling stress.
Are hydration drinks better than water?
If the goal is to retain fluid, yes. While water is hydrating, hydration drinks with sodium better meet the demands that prolonged and/or intense activity puts on us, slowing down fluid loss. Plus, since they usually contain carbs and amino acids, we enjoy better energy levels.
Dehydrated? Drink up.
Hydration is critical to nearly every bodily process there is. If endurance and high levels of performance are involved, it becomes even more essential. Choose hydration drinks with a varied selection of electrolytes, as well as some amino acids and vitamins for optimal energy, recovery, and overall wellness.
And while we don’t want sugary drinks, a little glucose with the right form of carbohydrate can speed up hydration.
