Monthly Archives: February 2015

HYPOTONIC, Isotonic & Hypertonic

Osmolality

The more ingredients that are added into a solution (electrolytes, sugar, vitamins, minerals etc), the thicker it’s concentration becomes and the slower it is absorbed into the body.

Osmolality is a measurement of a fluids concentration which is represented by the number of solutes per volume of fluid. The osmolality of the blood and body fluids is approximately 290 mOsmol/L.

  • Hypertonic solutions have an osmolality higher than the body (> 300 mOsmol/l)
  • Isotonic solutions have an osmolality similar to the body (= 290 mOsmol/l)
  • Hypotonic solutions have an osmolality lower than the body (< 280 mOsmol/l) which actively promotes fluid absorption.

Read more ›

Electrolyte Solutions

Sachet on WaterThere are 4 key benefits of an electrolyte solution over plain water. These are palatability or taste, absorption rate, energy and electrolyte balance.

Palatability

There is a great study that showed that people will voluntarily dehydrate when working in the desert when provided with only water. A drink with taste will encourage people to drink more fluid than plain water thereby helping to prevent dehydration. Read more ›

Upcoming Blog Topics

Stay tuned and check back regularly to see posts on the following topics:

Read more ›