Alimentation

Test: Hydrate & Perform

Details

Parent Category: Alimentation

Category: Isostad

Published on Thursday, 20 August 2009 08:22

Written by Luca Salvatelli

Isostar, a company founded in 1977 and now belongs to the group Nutrition and Saints, is responsible for integrating nutrition and sports. Isostar was always dedicated to research, first by supporting a dedicated research center at the University of Limburg at Maastricht, the Netherlands and then to have its own research center. In recent years it has developed its own code of ethics (contract anti-doping) on the production of supplements that the company certifies that their products are not in any way, or illicit drugs, which are used for the preparation of supplements, only food that all products are tested by independent bodies and that samples are regularly analyzed and the control samples stored for one year so that the anti-doping authorities in case of disputes, can analyze .

Isostar’s product

For the Italian market Isostar distributes products "Fast Hydration Powertabs" and "Hydrate & Perform", dietetic products for sports, isotonic respectively in lemon-flavoured tablets or powder to taste lemon and orange," High Energy ", energy bars fruit, "High Protein", energy bars and protein Hazelnut, "Long Energy", food supplement, energy and isotonic with vitamins.

The product on test: Hydrate & Perform

Hydrate & Perform is a isotonic product powder to taste lemon or orange, proposed in the pack of 400 grams. The recommended dose is 40 grams each 500ml of water. The ingredients are: sugar, dried glucose syrup, acidifying: citric acid, sodium citrate, natural flavour, maltodextrin, calcium phosphate, potassium chloride, magnesium carbonate, sodium chloride, antioxidant: ascorbic acid, hydrogenated soybean oil, tianina mononitrate (vitamin B1). This is the specific composition, declared the house, per 100 grams of product and 500ml of ready to drink (500ml of water and 40 grams of powder):

Average nutritional values per 100 g ---------------------- 500 ml drink ready for use (40 grams of product)

Energy value ---------- 1580 kJ/371kcal----------------------632 kJ/148kcal
Protein ------------------ Absent ------------------------------- Absent
Carbohydrates---------- 87,4 g --------------------------------- 35 g
of which sugars ------- 75, 2 g --------------------------------- 28 g
Fat----------------------- Absent ------------------------------- Absent
Sodium ------------------ 0, 86 g ------------------------------- 0.35 g
Chloride------------------ 539 mg ------------------------------ 216 mg
Potassium---------------- 225 mg ------------------------------- 90 mg
Calcium------------------- 400 mg ------------------------------- 160 mg
Magnesium--------------- 150 mg ------------------------------- 60 mg
Vitamin B1 -------------- 0,53 mg ------------------------------ 0.21 mg

The methodology of the test

To test the effectiveness of the product run now established a protocol that provides for the cooperation of a number of athletes who, in turn, made a specific work, and interaction with water than with the integrator of the test. Have been conducted of the training and monitored the results of the tests through the intermediate instrumentation Polar CS 600 Power. Obviously, every athlete has also expressed his personal considerations, especially on the taste and feelings. The test was preceded by a series of food requirements in order to prevent an excessive supply or could affect different workouts. Therefore, all athletes who have tested followed the same diet for three days before the start of the test and throughout the test, the system calibrated according to specific needs. The test consisted of an initial phase of heating, then in a ceiling test, which is identified as the maximum power developed, then in a training session consisting of cycling at a heart rate corresponding to the anaerobic threshold and power as possible constant. Then a new set of test limits, which were carried out after 1 hour, 2 hours and 3 hours of training. All athletes have performed this protocol on different days and with the integrator Isostar that ingesting plain water. The route, of course, was all the same and equal to the time and the weather conditions of training, the same clothes, the uniform of the team, so as to minimize differences due to a greater or lesser sweating due to different clothing. It was then calculated the difference in performance between the training sessions conducted with and without Isostar. The first test indicates that the ceiling is the maximum athlete's power expressed that day, indicating the subsequent decay of this benefit over time. The smaller is the decay of performance with respect to an individual athlete, the greater the effectiveness of Isostar. Indeed, we must not forget that the decay of performance over time is directly depending on the athletic ability of the rider, but at the same rider, preparation, environmental conditions and stress within the aerobic zone, the decay depends on the reduction in stocks of energy reduction that can be slowed with proper diet. In the test, once the athletes have virtually no power, a second time were fed properly.

Test results

 This is the result of the test: the first value, for all 100, indicates the maximum power developed by the athlete, which was reduced to 100%, other data show the athlete's power expressed in the subsequent test, again in terms of reduced %.

Comments on test

As is clear, the use of Isostar Hydrate & Perform was crucial in allowing the athletes to complete the test in the best possible conditions. Obviously, every athlete, even according to their degree of preparation, was able to have a more or less improvement consisting of using Hydrate & Perform. Moreover, in testing an integrator isotonic saline water, the weather affect you, at high temperatures is the most noticeable difference between the use of a specific supplement and the only water, that difference decreases with the decrease in ambient temperature and sweating for athletes, when the lower is the loss of mineral salts. However, the product was good and found the favour of all the athletes. It was tasty on the palate and easy to prepare; is tolerated by all and everyone enjoyed their effectiveness. Its formulation allows for rapid absorption, which could be further accentuated with a minor proportion of dissolved sugars, and this contrivance, proved to the satisfaction of the testers, however, has come at a lower integration of mineral salts, which may prove crucial in the presence of high sweats. The advantage of the solution into powder, compared to solutions which are ready, it is one that you can vary the concentration of the product, moving away from what the manufacturer recommended, and taking the concentration best suited to your body. Small differences, it is true, that must be thoroughly tested in training, but who can find the perfect integrator dissolved concentration in water for your body. In general, however, the dose recommended by Isostar is more than good, even if you do not usually exceed 6% sugar concentration, whereas here it has come to 7%. The scientific research have always maintained that for easy assimilation of carbohydrates dissolved in water is better not to exceed a concentration of 6%, according Isostar his research led to a value of 8%. Is should be noted that the higher the concentration of sugars dissolved in aqueous solution, the greater the time of assimilation, and a concentration of 4% will be more easily assimilated to a 6% and this is better than 7%. The rate of absorption also varies greatly according to subject, then we can not order the percentage taken by Isostar and has not caused any problems you have our testers.

Considerations on the product

 The ease of use of this product is very high, but as always requires a minimum of attention in the preparation. It 'not recommended to use the supplied measuring cup and use, however, a balance of precision, so as to always have a correct formulation of the drink. By measuring, in fact, it's easy to mistake the right concentration of the product. The flavour is tasty, but like other supplements, that sensation is not to drink it properly. Behaviour wanted, appreciated by some, that calls for a drink and to reintegrate with regularity. Going down in the recommended concentration problems are alleviated to disappear.

Conclusion

The Isostar Hydrate & Perform was an integrator very convincing, complete as it is able to adapt to every requirement for athletes with the opportunity to change its concentration. The dose recommended by Isostar has shown a good intake of carbohydrates, which allows a reconstruction of the stocks of energy, and appropriate misure of mineral that re-give those lost by sweating, avoiding the onset of cramps and maintaining an adequate saline water balance in the body.

Price

The company does not release price.

Is suitable for

Is an integrator suitable for all those engaged in physical activity for long periods in the presence of high sweats and difficult climatic conditions, and its effectiveness is also useful as a simple supplement of carbohydrates.

Positive aspects

Taste
Ease of use
Effectiveness
Excellent reinstatement of carbohydrates and salts
Tolerability

Negative aspects

None

For further informations:

Nutrition and Santè
Website: www.isostar.com

Test carried out in collaboration with: