EcoAde Questions and Answers

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Q1.How has EcoAde been formulated?

Numerous variables were taken into account in the formulation of EcoAde including:

Taste:
Taste is an often unappreciated component of a sports drink. However, a sports drink with an appealing taste may result in greater voluntary fluid intake and therefore superior re-hydration (Coobes et al., 2000). The development of EcoAde has incorporated extensive testing with real world athletes to develop a formulation with superior palatability.

Carbohydrate content:
If the carbohydrate content of a sports drink is too high it can have a number of adverse effects. These adverse effects may include slower fluid absorption, gastrointestinal distress, reduced voluntary intake and possibly impaired athletic performance (Davis et al., 1988). The 6% carbohydrate content of EcoAde when made to label specifications is designed to avoid problems that can accompany higher carbohydrate content beverages However, some sports drinks on the market contain very high carbohydrate concentrations and many athletes assume that the greater the carbohydrate concentration the greater the potential benefits. However, high carbohydrate content drinks may decrease the availability of water, which is obviously a disadvantage for a sports drink if it is being consumed to offset dehydration during exercise. In fact it has recently been suggested that carbohydrate content should be lower than 10% when water absorption is a priority (Coombes et al., 2000). Therefore EcoAde contains an optimal concentration of carbohydrate that will provide energy without compromising the hydration status of the athlete.

Addition of Electrolytes
EcoAde contains electrolytes that are designed to replace those lost in the sweat. They may also stimulate voluntary fluid ingestion so as to produce superior re-hydration.

Q2.Does EcoAde offer any benefits over drinking plain water?

EcoAde may offer many benefits over pure water including:

1. EcoAde contains high glycaemic index carbohydrates, which can spare muscle and liver glycogen thereby prolonging endurance performance. Additionally the consumption of EcoAde post exercise may facilitate glycogen synthesis and aid recovery.
2. EcoAde may also stimulate voluntary fluid consumption via its superior taste profile and palatability.
3. Consumption of EcoAde may reduce the likelihood of developing hyponatremia (low blood sodium), also known as water intoxication (Noakes et al., 1985), which is a life threatening condition that can develop with excessive consumption of plain water (Schnirring, 2003). Many athletes are unaware that under certain conditions excessive consumption of pure water can actually kill you.
4. It is known that sodium facilitates the retention of ingested fluid, which facilitates rehydration and restoration of plasma volume (Maughan et al., 1995). The electrolyte profile in EcoAde may therefore result in superior fluid retention of ingested fluid. This may result in less of the ingested fluid being lost in the urine and a more efficient method of combating dehydration.

Q3.What type of athletes would benefit from EcoAde?

Any athlete that is likely to sweat and/or deplete muscle glycogen stores may benefit from EcoAde. This includes endurance athletes such as runners, cyclists, triathletes and those in teams based sports such as soccer, football or netball. Furthermore, strength athletes and bodybuilders can use EcoAde to re-hydrate during and after training and replenish muscle glycogen stores.

Q4.Is EcoAde only for athletes?

No, the benefits of EcoAde are not limited to athletes. Many occupations require employees to perform physical work in hot and humid environments. Such workers can use EcoAde to re-hydrate and possibly increase work productivity.

Q5.I have heard sports drinks are high in salt, is EcoAde high in salt?

It is true that most sports drinks do contain salt or sodium. However as outlined in figure 1, when made to label specifications EcoAde contains less sodium than milk. Those concerned about the salt content of EcoAde should be aware that EcoAde contains less sodium that many products habitually consumed in most peoples diets.

Figure 1: A comparison of the sodium concentration per 100mL of EcoAde and milk

Q6.What beneficial physiological effects could EcoAde provide the athlete?

Firstly EcoAde may prevent dehydration. Dehydration can be associated with:

• Impaired ability to regulate body temperature
• Increased heart rate
• Mental confusion
• Increased effort perception
• Loss of skills

EcoAde can therefore minimise the detrimental effects that dehydration can have on athletic performance. Additionally EcoAde can facilitate electrolyte replacement and provide additional fuel in the form of carbohydrate.

Q7.Is EcoAde superior to consuming a soft drink or cordial?

Yes, most soft drinks and cordials are too high in their carbohydrate content and may even impair an athletes hydration status and/or performance. EcoAde when made to its label specifications contains an optimal carbohydrate concentration that maximises fluid absorption while simultaneously providing sufficient carbohydrate for fuel. Furthermore, soft drinks may impair performance and fluid absorption due to the carbonation, while cordial does not replace electrolytes lost in the sweat. Therefore EcoAde is a far superior beverage for athletes looking for an edge.

Q8.Many information sources suggest that you should consume high glycaemic index carbohydrates after exercise. Does EcoAde contain these carbohydrates?

Yes, EcoAde has a high glycaemic index. High glycaemic index foods result in rapid increases in blood glucose (Walton et al., 1997). Consequently EcoAde will rapidly increase blood glucose levels after training and competition. This will aid in the restoration of muscle and liver glycogen stores that have been depleted during the exercise.

Q9. Is it ok for an endurance athlete to consume EcoAde prior to training and/or competition?

Opinions differ greatly as to whether high glycaemic index beverages such as sports drinks should be consumed prior to training and competition. The concerns relate to the possibility that athletes may experience what many refer to as "rebound hypoglycaemia". This is a crash or drop in blood sugar levels due to the release of a hormone termed insulin. Many individuals may have experienced this after eating a large volume of lollies or soft drink. Initially after the consumption of such foods you may feel very energetic but not long after you may feel tired and listless.

Obviously a drop in blood glucose levels during training or competition could impair performance, as blood glucose is an important fuel source in many sporting activities. However, research has indicated that as long as carbohydrate is consumed during exercise, the consumption of high glycaemic index carbohydrates prior to exercise appears to have little effect on either metabolism or endurance performance (Burke et al., 1998). This means that if you want to consume EcoAde prior to exercise that should be OK as long as you continue to consume it during the activity as well. It would not be advised to consume EcoAde prior to exercise then drink plain water during the exercise. However, if you are really serious about your performance do what elite athlete do. Practice different fluid intake regimes during training. Try consuming EcoAde prior to as well as during training. If you feel your energy levels are high and performance was enhanced keep using this schedule. However if you felt a little low on energy during the early phases of training try consuming plain water prior to training and then begin drinking EcoAde about ten minutes into the training session. Once you have found the regime that works best for you, use that regime during competition. Never try a fluid intake regime during competition that you haven't trailed on several occasions during training.

Q10. Could an athlete stack EcoAde with any other supplements to possibly get even better results?

When consuming EcoAde after exercise it can be combined with protein. This may increase glycogen synthesis above that of simply consuming EcoAde alone, may offset the catabolic effects of the previous training session or competition, and may enhance performance in a subsequent training session of competition (Niles et al., 2001). To take advantage of this stack you can combine a serve of EcoAde with 30-40 grams of Whey Protein Isolate (WPI).

Q11. Should you consume EcoAde prior to exercise if you want to lose weight?

No, EcoAde is best used by athletes wanting to maximise carbohydrate availability during exercise. If you are wanting to lose weight you should try to reduce your calorie intake and try to consume carbohydrate sources that have a low glycaemic index. If you consume EcoAde prior to exercise, as opposed to plain water, your body will oxidise (burn) less fat during the exercise session (Wee et al., 1999). That is because EcoAde is specifically designed to provide extra fuel for working muscles. Therefore consumption of EcoAde prior to exercise is not advised if weight loss is the primary goal.

Q12.Would an athlete test positive to EcoAde ?

No, EcoAde is not a drug or banned substance. In fact none of the ingredients in EcoAde are listed on the current World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list (WADA, 2004). Therefore, EcoAde can be considered a safe and legal method of enhancing athletic performance, even in elite athletes subjected to regular drug testing.

References:
1.Burke, L.M., Claasen, A., Hawley, J.A. and Noakes, T.D. Carbohydrate intake during prolonged cycling minimizes effect of glycaemic index of preexercise meal. Journal of applied physiology 85: 2220-2226, 1998.

2.Coombes, J.S.and Hamilton, K.L. The effectiveness of commercially available sports drinks. Sports medicine 29:181-209, 2000.

3.Davis, J.M., Burgess, W.A., Slentz, C.A., Bartoli, W.P. and Pate, R.R. Effects of ingesting 6% and 12% glucose/electrolyte beverages during prolonged intermittent cycling in the heat. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology. 57: 563-569, 1988.

4.Maughan, R.J., Leiper, J.B. Sodium intake and post-exercise rehydration in man. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology 71: 311-319, 1995.

5.Niles, E.S., Lachowetz, T., Garfi, J., Sullivan, W., Smith, J.C., Leyh, B.P. and Headley, S.A. Carbohydrate-protein drink improves time to exhaustion after recovery from endurance exercise. Journal of exercise physiology online 4(1), 2001, Available online: http://www.css.edu/users/tboone2/asep/Niles1Col.doc

6.Noakes, T.D., Goodwin, N., Rayner, B.L., Branken, T. and Taylor, R.K.N. Water intoxication: a possible complication during endurance exercise. Medicine and science in sports and exercise 17:370-375, 1985.

7.Schnirring, L. New hydration recommendations: risk of hyponatremia plays a big role. Physician and sportsmedicine 31:15-16;18, 2003.

8.Walton, P. and Rhodes, E.C. Glycaemic index and optimal performance. Sports medicine 23:164-172, 1997.

9.Wee, S.L., Williams, C., Gray, S. and Horabin, J. Influence of high and low glycaemic index meals on endurance running capacity. Medicine and science in sports and exercise 31:393-399, 1999.

10.World Anti Doping Agency prohibited list (2004). Available online: http://www.wada-ama.org/en/t1.asp