Electrolyte Concentrates Treat Dehydration

Sunday, November 01 2009

Product Outcome

That formula is now available to the public as the liquid electrolyte concentrate called The Right Stuff. Packaged in single-serving, 16.5 milliliter recyclable plastic vials, the Wellness Brands concentrate contains the original sodium chloride and sodium citrate blend, along with a small amount of sucralose sweetener and citric acid to counter the saltiness of the electrolytes. Available in citrus blend, wild berry, or unflavored varieties, The Right Stuff is added to water or any training beverage to significantly enhance rehydration.

The effectiveness of The Right Stuff is backed by extensive NASA testing, says Belaga. “Every human has receptors throughout the body, both intracellular and extracellular, that ensure the balance of hydration in the body,” he explains. Whether you are an astronaut returning to Earth, an Olympian, or in training for your first marathon, human physiology and its needs and challenges remain the same, he says. Dehydration can cause tiredness, headaches, muscle cramps, decreased blood pressure, dizziness, and fainting. Severe dehydration can lead to delirium, unconsciousness, and even death. Athletes training for long periods or in hot conditions must constantly resupply the water they lose through sweating and breathing, and Belaga notes that rigorous NASA testing has shown that the electrolyte formula of The Right Stuff is ideal for meeting this need.

“NASA scientists compared this formula to water, to carbohydrate-based sports drinks, to hybrid drinks with extra sugars and glycogens, and this product beat them all,” Belaga says. The researchers determined that the quantities of carbohydrates found in most common sports drinks may actually impede the body’s ability to absorb the rehydrating electrolytes. The Right Stuff contains no carbohydrates, caffeine, or sugar, and Belaga cites one study that demonstrated the product not only effectively rehydrated users, but it also led to a 20-percent increase in endurance.

“More endurance means superior performance,” Belaga says.

Wellness Brands is in discussions with college and professional sports teams and will start stocking specialty sporting goods retailers with The Right Stuff this year. The company is targeting elite athletes and endurance sport enthusiasts as its initial consumers, but notes that its NASA-developed formula is the “right stuff” for everyone.

“Since it works so well for astronauts, imagine what it will do for elite athletes,” says Belaga. “If it works for the elite athletes, imagine what it could do for the average person.”

Not only athletes will benefit from the electrolyte formula. Under the exclusive NASA license, Wellness Brands plans to expand with other products for situations when proper hydration is critical. Dehydration, for example, is a problem for airline passengers on long-distance flights during which water is lost in the dry air of the pressurized airplane cabins. Dehydration is also a factor in jet lag and altitude sickness, and can be a deadly outcome of various diseases that cause diarrhea and vomiting, such as cholera, and conditions like heat stroke.

The formula’s NASA origins position The Right Stuff to make an immediate market impact and start providing its benefits to the public, says Belaga.

“It’s a great asset to have this technology come out of NASA,” he says. “Its credibility with the American populace is almost incalculable.”

The Right Stuff™ is a trademark of Wellness Brands Inc.