Flight Recovery

Scientific Opinion

Background

Dehydration is recognised as a major problem facing air travellers, especially those on long-haul flights.

Dehydration that occurs during commercial flights is a major contributor to jet lag, headaches, dry skin and nasal irritation. Dehydration and associated jet lag can also increase susceptibility to infections such as cold and flu, and also to stomach problems according to the World Health Organisation.

Modern jet aircraft are equipped with cabin air systems that control pressurization, airflow, air filtration, and temperature. However, according to airline sources, at a typical cruising altitude of 37,000 feet air pressure is equivalent to that on land at an altitude of 5000-8000 feet above sea level.

The low air pressure, together with continued recycling of cabin air, decreases cabin humidity, creating a humidity environment not unlike that of the Sahara Desert. As a result, your body loses water and you dehydrate, compounding the effects of jet lag. Two-thirds of the human body by weight is water. The average person contains about 50 litres of fluids and loses a minimum of two litres in daily maintenance. Flying accelerates this dehydration so that it is difficult for your body to absorb fluids rapidly enough for sufficient rehydration.

Not only is it important that you consume enough fluids to replace those lost during flight, it is also important that these fluids are formulated so that rehydration can occur as rapidly as possible.

Flight Recovery™ is formulated to minimise dehydration and provide rapid rehydration during air travel, decreasing the effects of jet lag and other travel fatigue problems associated with long-haul flights.

Scientific Opinion

Dehydration can increase fatigue, decrease mental alertness and disrupt the body’s ability to control temperature effectively.

However, replacement of water alone is not sufficient to avoid these and other problems associated with dehydration.

Blood is a complex mixture of electrolytes and other components. For example, 4-6 grams of sodium chloride is lost in twenty-four hours of normal living.

Because the body is incapable of producing or storing sodium chloride, potassium chloride and other salts, these must be replaced from external sources.

For rapid and complete rehydration, water, sodium chloride and other minerals must be present in an optimum balance.

The proportion of electrolytes and water in the blood remains relatively constant, and so drinking pure water in the absence of salts can result in the body excreting additional water in order to keep the salinity constant, thus increasing dehydration.

In many circumstances water alone is not the best fluid replacement in preventing dehydration.

Carbohydrates are also important for rehydration. For example, glucose can stimulate water absorption and assist sodium transport. However, the correct carbohydrate balance is critical.

Drinks that contain too much carbohydrate can actually add to dehydration by slowing water absorption and causing intestinal upset. The right types of carbohydrates are important for effective rehydration.

Flight Recovery™ contains a variety of carbohydrates, electrolytes, amino acids and trace minerals correctly formulated to minimise dehydration and optimise rehydration.

The carbohydrates include glucose, fructose and maltodextrin, but not sucrose. Sucrose, the major sugar in many drinks, can actually decrease blood glucose levels and reduce our ability to absorb water and rehydrate. In contrast, glucose stimulates the uptake of water into the bloodstream. Fructose and maltodextrins have their own benefits both in relation to optimising rehydration and decreasing insulin spiking.

Beverages with the correct amounts of these carbohydrates are absorbed more effectively than plain water by the body. Flight Recovery™ is designed to contain optimised ratios and amounts of these carbohydrates for rapid rehydration.

The electrolyte salts found in Flight Recovery™ also assist the body’s ability to absorb water by enhancing the intestinal absorption mechanisms. Electrolyte salts also act to maintain the correct blood volume and ensure that cells can take up more water.

Flight Recovery™ also contains 84 minerals and trace elements and some branched chain amino acids. One of the major trace minerals is magnesium, which stimulates white blood cell activity and activates over 300 bodily enzymes, increasing disease resistance. Equilibrium exists between minerals and trace elements in the body, and a proper balance is important for our ability to rehydrate effectively.

Branched chain amino acids (BCAA’s) present in Flight Recovery™ help to improve sodium transport and water uptake into cells, and increase the speed of rehydration. BCAA’s are natural compounds that are essential to life and help to prevent dehydration. In addition, BCAA’s increase mental alertness and can play a role in combating the mental sluggishness associated with jet lag and travel fatigue.

Flight Recovery™ is specially formulated for optimum rehydration during air travel and puts back what your flight takes out. To work most effectively Flight Recovery™ should be used as a substitute for other drinks during flight.