This week we are joined by our writer, Phil White, and Dr. Robert A. Huggins of the University of Connecticut.
Robert is the Vice President of Research and Athlete Performance & Safety at the Korey Stringer Institute at UConn. There, Robert conducts performance testing on athletes who are looking to enhance their performance through the use of scientific insights.
Robert uses his experience as a professional trainer to treat cases of exertional heatstroke in events like The Boston Marathon and The Marine Corps. Marathon. Recently, Robert and his colleagues conducted a study on one of our products, PR Lotion, and found that it can actually help you stay hydrated in heat and humidity.
Show Notes:
1:00 - The Recent Study & How it Relates to War Fighters and First Responders. “I think the key findings here are the level of hydration maintained over the 5-hour protocol. We found that the group that used the PR Lotion showed a significantly less of a body mass loss.”
11:30 - Changes in Blood Sodium & Fluid Retention. “We may have given too much fluid, to the point that we were not able to see what happened to the sodium levels in the blood afterwards. So we’re super excited for the next studies because we’ll be able to see those blood-sodium levels after the placement of the lotion without any fluid being given.”
22:00 - Behavior Changes. “We know the reasons athletes die in sport. The top causes are head, heat, heart, and hemoglobin. In the months of August, heat is number one. We know how they die and we know how to treat them but often we are combated by old-school behaviors of ‘water is for the weak.’ and are resistant to change because it may have not been what they did when they were younger.”
30:00 - Wearables & Marketing Claims. “To be able to access hydration status accurately in various individuals is the holy grail. It’s going to impact so many different populations and not just athletes. Old people. People with diabetes.”
40:00 - Why Robert Does It. “The fact that my work, our work at the Korey Stringer Institute can go from making someone think better on a test or on a task during the day to getting a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.”
43 mins