Isotonic vs. Hypotonic: What’s the Difference?

It may seem as if they have been around since that Greek guy Pheiddipides ran from Marathon to Athens. But sports drinks were actually only invented back in the 1960s and were originally designed just for high-performance athletes^1,2.

It wasn’t long before regular Joes (and Janes) started using them to help boost their performances. But how could a simple drink have such an impact on the effectiveness of your workout? We’re glad you asked.

See, we now know that excessive sweating can cause your body to lose not only water but also essential electrolytes (such as sodium and potassium) and fuel (carbohydrates) for the working muscles to use³.

Some sports drinks work fast in replacing fluid and these vital electrolytes and preventing dehydration⁴. It’s even been proven in scientific trials that they can delay fatigue and improve your performance⁵. The trick is knowing which type of sports drink is going to help you get all this goodness for your workout.

But, the challenge is now everyone knows how good sports drinks are. And a lot of companies have jumped on the sports drinks bandwagon.

There’s a lot of products on the shelves now, all with their own pseudo-scientific jargon, but there’s a key difference that separates Hydralyte Sports from the rest of the pack.

Yup – it’s all about the difference between Isotonic Solutions (passive rehydration) and Hypotonic Oral Rehydration Solutions (active rehydration).

Hypotonic is the clever choice for everyone, whether you are an Olympic athlete, sweating it out at your weekend sports game, or just doing your everyday workout. Let’s have a look at why.

Our bodies are in a delicate balance between maintaining the right volume of water and electrolytes in our systems. A tough, sweaty session can disrupt that stability and result in dehydration, which can cause cramps, increased heart rate, fatigue, impaired concentration and nausea⁶. Not the workout vibe you were aiming for!

Most traditional sports drinks are isotonic – meaning that they are similar in concentration to our cells. They are also high in sugar (some as high as 8%^7,8!) and are absorbed passively by our bodies when rehydrating. Plus, all that sugar can actually mean that the calories lost in your workout are put back on immediately!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, some sports drinks don’t even have sugar at all, which prevents you from rapidly rehydrating. Crazy, right?

Hydralyte Sports, however, is a hypotonic Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS), which means it has a lower concentration of solutes than your cells. Hydralyte Sports only has 2% sugar (2-3x less than standard sports drinks) and is formulated with juuust the right ratio of sodium to glucose (sugar) to maximise the body’s capability of rehydration.

If we get super technical, this formulation of sodium and glucose activates the sodium-glucose transport. This eventually leads to water being actively transported into the bloodstream. In fact, this actually means that Hydralyte Sports will replace lost electrolytes and rehydrate you faster than water alone.

Because isotonic sports drinks have a high amount of sugar, they can deliver energy quickly, if not quite as fast as hypotonic solutions. While they can be very effective as an instant energy boost, they have been anecdotally linked to abdominal discomfort and bloating, and are less effective in rehydration, thanks to their solute concentration.

Hypotonic ORS sports drinks, however, are perfect for rehydration as they are quickly absorbed and have less sugar (in the form of carbohydrates). Hydralyte Sports is also HASTA certified, meaning it is free from banned substances⁹ – so you know it’s a trustworthy rehydration companion.

You can take Hydralyte Sports before, during or after exercise. Try drinking small amounts of Hydralyte Sports during your workout to maintain fluid levels, minimise fatigue and help you perform at your best.

If you are looking to stay hydrated, hypotonic ORS sports drinks such as Hydralyte Sports are a better choice for sports lovers of all kinds. Longer-lasting and faster-acting, hypotonic ORS solutions are preferred by athletes (from serious runners to weekend walkers), especially those undertaking endurance events or looking to improve their performance.

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