Most sports drinks solve one problem while creating others. They deliver calories, but through simple sugars that spike blood glucose and crash it just as quickly. They provide electrolytes, but typically just sodium and potassium at levels that overwhelm the palate with saltiness. And they nearly all contain citric acid, which erodes tooth enamel over hundreds of hours of training. HEED 2.0 from Hammer Nutrition takes a fundamentally different approach, building a during-exercise fuel around complex carbohydrates, a complete electrolyte spectrum, and auxiliary nutrients that address blood sugar stability, lactic acid buffering, and dental health simultaneously.

The carbohydrate source is tapioca maltodextrin derived from cassava root, providing 110 calories and 28g of carbohydrates per scoop. Maltodextrin shares glucose's high Glycemic Index for rapid energy availability, but its long polysaccharide chains release that energy more consistently without the sharp peaks and valleys of simple sugars. The tapioca source offers advantages over corn-derived maltodextrin: less processing, guaranteed non-GMO status, naturally lower sodium with higher potassium, a more alkaline pH that counteracts exercise-induced acidity, and a lower Dextrose Equivalent meaning more complex carb chains and fewer simple sugars. The formula contains zero added sugars and only 2g of naturally occurring sugars per serving.

Electrolyte coverage goes beyond the sodium-potassium pairing found in mainstream sports drinks. Each scoop delivers 150mg sodium, 35mg potassium, 25mg calcium, 31mg magnesium, and 90mg chloride. Sodium phosphate rather than sodium chloride provides part of the sodium content, doubling as a lactic acid buffer that helps maintain optimal blood and muscle pH during intense efforts. L-carnosine (52mg) adds further buffering capacity while contributing antioxidant support. Chromium polynicotinate (25mcg) supports blood sugar regulation during exercise when insulin dynamics shift.... Read More