A University of Alberta researcher has partnered with a local startup to explore developments in hydration science, aimed at creating low-sugar oral rehydration solutions for both high-performance athletes and life-saving medical uses.
In a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, Dr. Spencer Proctor and industry collaborators from Best Hydrate, a Sherwood Park-based business, are working to bring more evidence-based attention to the potential of oral hydration solutions beyond sports drinks, into the medical field.
“Hydration is an under-investigated, underappreciated scientific field that has attracted enormous commercial attention, often faster than the evidence base has developed. Our goal is to bring more science to this topic,” says Proctor, professor and chair of the Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science, and director of the Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases Laboratory at the U of A.
The paper reviewed scientific literature published over the last 20 years about oral rehydration technology in exercise and chronic disease, looking at developments in sports nutrition, physiology and formulation, how those advances could translate into broader health and future clinical applications, and areas where commercial attention has moved faster than published evidence.
One of the key observations is that neither high-sugar or no-sugar rehydration drinks currently available on the market are optimal, Proctor notes.
“No-sugar products are not great for absorption, and high-sugar products saturate the system and are not great for general health recommendations, which means that low-sugar options are probably the sweet spot.”
Along with updating the science on oral rehydration solutions, Proctor plans to work with Best Hydrate, which has developed a drink, to compare and improve formulas for oral hydration “to best suit clinical, sport, daily or humanitarian requirements.”
Developing better oral rehydration formulations could enhance precision nutrition and offer a potential alternative to IV treatment needed, for example, to help people recover from severe diarrhea caused by diseases like cholera, dysentery or diphtheria, Proctor says.
“When appropriate, oral rehydration is often simpler and less invasive than delivering solutions by IV, which could help ease the burden on health-care systems and maintain athlete health alike.”