Accelerade: Hydration and Recovery To understand why ACCELERADE is such a significant advance one must first understand the nutrition and hydration needs of working muscles. Replenishing fluids during exercise is crucial. When the body is depleted of fluid through sweating body temp elevates and exercise performance drops. Rehydration is the most important function of a sports drink and almost all sports drinks do an excellent job in this regard, as does water. In addition to fluids, muscles also need energy to work optimally. That's why sports drinks are better than water since most contain carbohydrate (the ideal amount is 6-8%). What makes ACCELERADE breakthrough is that it is the first sports drink that contains protein in combination with carbohydrate. And not just any amount of protein. Research has shown that the ideal ratio is 4 grams of carbohydrate to 1 gram of protein which is the amount found in ACCELERADE's patented formula. Protein at this level actually increases the amount of carbohydrate that gets into the muscle during exercise. More energy into the muscle gives you more endurance, which is exactly what sports scientists at the University of Texas found when they compared ACCELERADE to a conventional sports drink. The researchers showed that protein-powdered ACCELERADE extends endurance up to 24% compared to a conventional sports drink and up to 57% compared to water. Recovery, The Key To Peak Performance The other advantage of protein in a sports drink is that it speeds muscle recovery. Everyone, whether a professional athlete or a weekend warrior, experiences muscle soreness after a workout. There are 3 causes. One, muscle protein is damaged as a natural consequence of exercise. Muscles need protein to start the re-building process. Because ACCELERADE is the only sports drink that contains protein it gives your muscles a jump on the repair process. Additionally, during extended exercise, up to 15% of the muscles' energy comes from the breakdown of muscle protein. Having protein in a sports drinks spares the breakdown of protein from the muscle. The result a quicker recovery. The third cause is the build up of free radicals. These molecule attack and damage muscle protein. This is why ACCELERADE contains vitamins C and E, which have been shown to reduce free radical build up.