Biohacking Hydration – The Science of Smarter Fluid Optimisation and Practical Implementation

Author: Laura Warren, Head of Nutrition - Circl Health

"Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water." — Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, M.D. (Nobel Prize winner)

Here at Circl we are keen on science backed education coupled with practical implementation tips.

To begin I want you to think about the estimated 35 trillion cells that you are and the fact that you as a human being are about 70% water, most of which is contained inside our cells.

We talk about “hydration” a lot, so let’s define it. Hydration essentially means maintaining fluid balance in the body. Think of your cells now - when they are hydrated, they are like fat juicy grapes. When we become dehydrated our juicy grapes turn into raisin state. Nothing great happens in raisin state so let’s avoid it together!

Let’s get into the details a little more as hydration isn’t just about water intake…

You may have heard of mitochondria – they are the tiny “batteries” inside every one of your cells and the rely on voltage gradients to generate cellular energy known as ATP.
Electrolytes are required to maintain that gradient. If your levels drop, you can’t produce optimal energy and if they drop further you turn onto a fatigued, brain foggy, just cup empty feeling individual. It’s not you, it’s those electrolytes!!

A systematic review of 24 studies in 2022 (Dube et al.) involving 493 participants found that dehydration of just 2% body mass consistently impaired memory, concentration, and mental speed—especially when combined with prolonged physical effort or heat exposure.

Above is just an example of a growing body of literature that shows:

• Electrolytes enhance hydration efficiency
• The detrimental effects of dehydration are very real but easily avoidable (2)

Our body likes to give whisperings (symptoms) before it starts screaming (illness) at us. Something that I’m sure you can relate to is that with electrolyte imbalance the initial signs are often subtle and can be easily mistaken for issues like bad sleep, feeling stressed, or an ‘off day’.

Are you are feeling tired for no reason or have a persistent, dull headache or struggling with focus and energy? We do encourage you to get to the root cause but recognizing these signs as messages that maybe it’s mineral balance needs support.

Sub optimal or deficiencies in the key electrolytes can manifest in a number of ways:

• Low Sodium: This one is a common issue for endurance athletes or anyone sweating heavily – think sauna, change in climate. Early signs include fatigue, muscle cramps, and headaches. It can lead to confusion and nausea. This occurs because low sodium levels disrupt the body’s fluid balance, causing your cells, including brain cells, to swell.
• Low Potassium: Potassium is vital for muscle function so muscle weakness and fatigue are typically the first signs. Digestive issues like constipation can increase, as the muscles in the intestinal tract can become sluggish. Significant deficiencies can cause severe muscle cramps and heart palpitations.
• Low Magnesium: Magnesium is involved in at least 300 enzymatic reactions related to energy production and relaxation, one of the most common early indicators of low levels is muscle twitches, tremors, or cramps. You may also feel anxious, easily overwhelmed or fatigued. Sleep issues are also common.

So you can see that just a mild imbalance in electrolytes can have a noticeable impact on daily life. As with many things it’s a spectrum, and you don’t need to be severely deficient to feel the effects.

Recognising the environment and the seasons as well. It’s easy to understand that the heat and possible humidity that come with the summer months, will increase sweating and electrolyte loss. But did you think about Winter? Cold, dry air increases fluid loss through respiration as your body has to warm and humidify the air you breathe. Furthermore, the thirst response can be suppressed by up to 40% in cold weather (3), meaning if you aren’t aware you probably won’t be drinking enough to stay hydrated. Cup of herbal tea anyone?

Recognising these subtle cues, helps move us from a reactive to a proactive approach which is what Circl is here for!

The concept of biohacking hydration invites you to go beyond just drinking glasses of water. We want to encourage awareness around cellular absorption, mineral balance, and water quality so you can maximize your hydration leading to optimal performance, energy and recovery.

Our Key Biohacking Hydration Strategies

• Work out your Hydration Baseline equation: Take your body weight x 30ml = How many mls you should be drinking as a minimum everyday. Example: 80kg x 30ml = 2.4L per day.
• Filter your Water: We ideally want to consume pure water so investing in a filter or filter jug to remove contaminants like microplastics, chlorine, chemicals and heavy metals from tap water helps reduce the body's toxic load, which boosts energy.
• Morning Mineral Kickstart: Upon waking, consume 1 tall cup (500ml) of filtered water with 1/4 scoop of Circle. This is the quickest way to reverse sleep dehydration. Hopefully you are getting roughly 8 hours of sleep a night (life changing stuff for performance and recovery and energy) but considering the length of time without fluid intake and the fact your body loses water through breathing and possibly sweating overnight, this leaves you mildly dehydrated upon waking. Setting up for a great day requires rehydration in the morning as a vital process.
• "Eat" Your Water: Incorporate structured water (H3O2) by consuming watermelon, lettuce, cucumber, and chia seed gel etc. Basically, eat veg and fruit at every meal and as snacks!
• Electrolyte Micro-Dosing: Add small amounts of Circl to your water throughout the day (or this could look like a scoop into a 1.5L stainless steel of glass bottle and sip on it). This is especially important if you are active, sauna, live in a warmer climate or experience brain fog. Proper electrolyte balance is crucial for neuronal communication, the ability to focus and relax.
• Intense exercise and training: Use the Galphin Equation which is a hydration formula developed by Dr. Andy Galpin (a professor of kinesiology and expert in human performance) for optimizing fluid intake during intense physical or cognitive exertion. It advises consuming 2 mL of fluid per kg every 15–20 minutes during exercise
• Warm or Cold: We go with the make it enjoyable principle. Herbal-non caffeinated teas and broths count as excellent hydration in the winter. Mint leaves and slices of cucumber and orange with ice is tasty on a summer’s day. Get creative!
• Front-Load Intake: Aim to drink roughly 90% of your daily water intake before 5 PM. This is because your kidneys are more active and efficient at filtering fluid during the first 10 hours after waking and also too much water in the evening means disrupted sleep.

Join the Circl’s team goal of optimizing your electrolytes to charge up your mitochondria.
We want you to feel your Energy, Clarity, and Recovery shift from “Ho Hum” to Let’s Go.

References:

1. Dube A et al., (2022). Effects of Hypohydration on Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review. PMID: 36032481
2. Stookey, J. D., Kavouras, S. A., Suh, H., & Lang, F. (2020). Underhydration Is Associated with Obesity, Chronic Diseases, and Death Within 3 to 6 Years in the U.S. Population Aged 51–70 Years. Nutrients, 12(4), 905. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12040905
3. Kenefick RW et al., (2004) Thirst sensations and AVP responses at rest and during exercise-cold exposure. Med Sci Sports Exerc. PMID: 15354034.