For a number of years now, on any ride over an hour, I’ve had a drink bottle with some sort of “energy” or “hydration” product. I know people who just ride with water, but I’ve always felt that if I’m riding briskly then my body is not only going to sweat, it’s going to burn through fuel and nutrients. To offset that I’ve ridden with energy drinks.
I’m far from a scientist and don’t have any particular expertise, so I’ve trusted that the marketing claims of the manufacturers will actually deliver.
So it might not surprise you to know that this feels like a difficult product to review as I’ll explain.
I was very interested to hear that Osmo had launched. I like the idea of a energy/hydration product system for cyclists that reflected up to date science. In fairness, Osmo have taken their own interpretation of recent science – but it seemed like a great starting point.
2Pure the UK distributor, kindly suggested I try all three key products from the Osmo range for men but I’m going to principally focus on the Active Hydration Product here.
The Osmo overview of the product on their site says that this Active Hydration – is a hydration product – not an energy drink and that you should carry food with this drink on your bike.
Osmo say that their approach is to optimise hydration, which is helpful in regulating your temperature, reducing cramping and increasing power. All of these combined are to allow you to maximise performance.
Many energy drinks add in sometimes large amounts of carbohydrates but Osmo believe that this limits their ability to be absorbed as easily by the body, reducing their overall effectiveness.
I know a lot cyclists who also get stomach problems from high carbohydrate drinks and have done myself from time to time.
So in simple lay terms, Osmo have created a formula that is easy for the body to process, that aids hydration, includes essential sugars and minerals to speed the hydration process, so the body can regulate temperature and stave off cramps, and maximise your ability to perform at the highest level.
Still with me? Good. If not, Osmo explain all of this here:
So why have I found this is a difficult product to review (and why has it taken me most of the year to post this review)?
Well, I’m conscious that any review of a product like this, feels hugely subjective – a bit like reviewing a saddle. We’re all different and our bodies react in different ways.
Also because to be honest, it’s difficult for me to say how much better that it works than other products.
I can however, tell you a number of things that may be of interest from small details to larger ones:
- The flavour of Osmo Hydration is so much more subtle than any other sports drink I’ve used. So many are incredibly sickly that this was a big positive for me.
- The jars are small and easy to store and you only need a small amount per bottle.
- It is very easy to drink while you’re riding and my body has “processed” Osmo more comfortably than any other sports drink I can remember.
- 2Pure kindly sent me one pot to review. I’ve since kept buying it and have purchased at least three more pots since then – so I’ve switched my own usage to Osmo for whenever I’m riding & have no plans to change as of now.
The one thing I can’t tell you is have I noticed better performance as I just don’t have a scientific enough method of analysing it. I’ve had a bunch of my best ever rides this year but that’s due to a combination of factors – mostly training smarter and I can’t say what role Osmo has played in this. I don’t get cramps, so that hasn’t been a factor but I have enjoyed using Osmo Active Hydration enough that I’ve kept buying it.
I didn’t however, enjoy the Acute Recovery drink as much, mostly because I found it didn’t mix well and seemed to just turn to froth when mixed with water. In fairness, I never did try mixing it with Almond milk which is also suggested. The flavour of the Acute Recovery, when mixed with water also didn’t quite hit the spot for me – not awful by any means but not as nice I’ve had before. On the plus side though, it did seem to work well but the mixing really put me off compared to other brands.
I’m going to happily continue to use Osmo Active Hydration and I’ll continue to trust in the science that it’s going to help me keep hydrated, manage my temperature and help me maximise my meagre power output when I’m riding.
If you’d like to read another review, Road.cc have theirs here: http://road.cc/content/review/121830-osmo-nutrition-active-hydration-drink
And you’d like to try it yourself, you can buy it from here and here , whilst also supporting this site at the same time
You find out more at the Osmo website too: http://osmonutrition.com/science/
Thanks for reading
