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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.
Electrolyte Solutions
There 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 ›