What are the advantages of using Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix?
While you can chug a sports drink any time you're thirsty, a well-designed sports drink, like Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix, is indispensable during exercise lasting an hour or more, and whenever you're exercising in the heat or humidity. Today, there are many advantages a well-designed sports drink has over water: A sports drink provides carbohydrates to fuel your muscles; you freely consume more fluids when your hydration beverage is flavoured, as is the case with a sports drink; sodium and carbohydrates in a sports drink facilitate the absorption of fluid in the beverage; flavour helps maintain your drive or desire to continue drinking fluids when exercising, which is crucial to meeting your fluid needs; and finally, consuming fluid along with electrolytes helps replace both that are lost in sweat.
Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix comes in a convenient powder that easily mixes with water. Plus, it features PowerBar® C2MAX™ Energy blend to fuel your muscles, along with sodium and water to help replace what you lose when you sweat. Each 500 ml serving of this thirst-quenching beverage provides 34 grams of muscle-fueling C2MAX carbs and 380 mg of sodium. C2MAX carbs are a unique 2:1 blend of glucose and fructose specifically designed to make good use of the fact that these two carbohydrates each have their own separate transport systems in the digestive tract. By providing both glucose and fructose, Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix is able to deliver more carbohydrate fuel to your hard-working muscles. In fact, research shows that the 2:1 glucose-to-fructose blend delivers 20–50% more energy to working muscles than glucose alone, and another study showed an 8% improvement in athletes' cycling times.(1) To learn more, click here.
How do I use Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix?
Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix is ideal before and during exercise, especially high-intensity endurance training and sports. It's also the drink of choice whenever you're training or competing in the heat and humidity.
- To hydrate and fuel before training or competing, drink two to three 250 ml servings 2–3 hours before exercise. Drink one more serving 10–15 minutes before exercise.
- Carry your own sports bottle with Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix, so you have control over what you're hydrating with, and so you can keep track of how much fluid you're consuming.
- During exercise, consume fluids at a rate that closely matches your sweat rate. Aim for 400–750 ml per hour in small amounts. However, sweat rates can vary considerably, so an even better approach is to calculate your sweat rate, and then to follow a hydration plan that keeps up with what you're losing in sweat. Click on the PowerBar Sweat Rate Calculator for an easy, step-by-step guide to calculating your sweat rate and to get your own personalized hydration plan.
- Monitor the effectiveness of your hydration plan by weighing yourself before and after training or competing. Your goal is to stay within your hydration zone. That means losing no more than 2% of your body weight during exercise due to fluid loss. For a 150-lb (68-kg) athlete, 2% equates to just three lbs (1.4 kg) of body weight.
How much sodium, the key electrolyte lost in sweat, does a 500 ml serving of Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix contain?
380 mg. In fact, Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix contains 760 mg sodium/liter. For reference, sweat contains roughly 1000 mg/liter, but it can vary widely. The average amount of sodium lost in sweat is 920–1840 mg/liter.
Why don't you put protein in Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix like some other brands?
At present, there is no solid scientific evidence that adding protein to a sports drink improves athletic performance. Plus, the addition of protein may have a negative impact on hydration. In fact, our testing in athletes revealed that incorporating protein into a beverage for use during exercise negatively impacted the taste of the beverage. This could result in athletes taking in less fluid during exercise, which could be potentially detrimental to athletic performance.
How does Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix fit with existing products in the PowerBar® line?
This product expands the company's product portfolio to include a complete offering of nutritional bars, gels, chews, bites, and drinks. Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix supplies the essential hydration, electrolytes and carbohydrates athletes need for training and competitions. Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix may be used alone or in conjunction with PowerBar® Sport Energy™ bars, PowerBar® Energy Gel, or PowerBar® Gel Blasts™ energy chews, depending on the individual athlete's needs and the type of activity planned.
Who will benefit from Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix during exercise?
Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix is a better hydration option than plain water when exercising vigorously for more than an hour at a time, and any time you are exercising in the heat or humidity.
Has the Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix been tested with athletes?
Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix was tested throughout the product development process. It was also tested with PowerBar® Team Elite–sponsored athletes for performance and taste.
Can I use Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix if I am diabetic?
Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix is used by many diabetics. It contains 34 g of carbohydrates (20 g of sugar) per two-scoop serving. As with any food item, it is important to review the carbohydrate content so you can factor this into how you manage your diabetes. Check with your health-care professional for more information.
I have food allergies. Can I drink Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix?
- Peanuts/nuts: Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix does not contain nuts.
- Milk: Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix is made on equipment that also processes milk ingredients. If you are allergic to milk, we recommend that you do not consume Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix.
- Soy: Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix is made on equipment that also processes soy ingredients. If you are allergic to soy, we recommend that you do not use Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix.
- Eggs: Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix is made on equipment that also processes egg ingredients. If you are allergic to eggs we recommend that you do not use Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix.
- Wheat/gluten: Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix does not contain wheat, rye, oats, or barley, but is made on equipment that processes wheat ingredients. If you are allergic to wheat or have gluten sensitivities, we recommend that you do not use Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix.
- Consult with your physician for more information on food allergies or sensitivities.
Until when can I use my Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix?
Each Ironman PERFORM™ sports drink mix canister is stamped with a "best before" date. Although it is safe to use Ironman PERFORM sports drink mix after this date, we recommend that you use it by the "best before" date to ensure you're getting the freshest product and receiving the full nutritional benefits of the product.