Whether you’re preparing for a marathon, or playing out on the field, hydration is essential in reducing illnesses and combating poor performance. This year the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting two major climate events, the El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole prompting further warnings that extreme heat will hit this spring and summer.
It’s time to prepare to combat dehydration now!
How do you know if you’re hydrated enough?
By using the MX3 hydration testing system, of course. This simple to use, portable, lab accurate system can track an individual or team’s hydration levels over the course of days or weeks. The MX3 is a great way to monitor the health of people allowing you to tailor hydration strategies to optimise fluid intake. Dehydration can result in cognitive and physical impairments, causing slow performance levels and a higher risk of illnesses and accidents.
Who is MX3?
MX3 was founded to make it easier for people to measure and manage their personal health and the health of teams and organisations. The MX3 team includes engineers, medical professionals, researchers, and professional athletes.
The MX3 hydration testing system can bring testing to many environments like on the field, in the locker room, or at the gym. MX3 has shown athletes how easy it is to take and understand their hydration levels, and how to utilise this information to improve health and performance.
Our parent company, Alpha Vital, has been working with MX3 since 2019. Blake Faulkner, National Sales Manager for Alpha Sport and Alpha First Aid said that in discussions with MX3, he realised what a positive impact the MX3 system has with hydration testing on the sports sector.
“Sports safety is imperative to keeping athletes safe from accidents and illnesses. This includes keeping people hydrated to reduce the risk of impairments while playing in extreme heat conditions,” Blake said.
How does the MX3 hydration testing system work?
You can use the MX3 system independently or through Bluetooth technology to talk directly to a dashboard on an MX3 app. “Simply take a quick sample of saliva or sweat on a disposable test strip,” Blake said. “This can be done hygienically via a dispensing cassette, so no handling of the strip is required as, once finished, the machine spits out the used strip via a button.
“The MX3 system will calculate your hydration level and this can be tracked over time to ensure hydration levels are maintained at a healthy level. The system can also cater for multiple groups, which is great if you work with several teams,” he said.
Hydration levels can also be tested via a blood test, a urine test, a pinch skin test, or a sweat test for athletes. “The good thing about the MX3 system is that the test results are immediate and convenient, unlike a blood, urine and a sweat test, and they are a lot more accurate than a pinch skin test,” Blake said.
Accessories
The MX3 system comes with test strips, which can be purchased separately depending on your needs, a test strip dispenser, a USBC charging cable, and a carry case to keep your system safe while using it on the go.
How to stay hydrated
The obvious answer is to drink plenty of water. But sometimes, depending on the physical activity you’re doing, water is not enough and more is needed in the way of carbohydrates and electrolytes to restore energy sources.
We sell a range of Sqwincher and Hydralyte products to get those electrolytes back in your system faster. We also stock Pickle Juice. A 100% natural product that provides electrolytes and helps minimise muscle cramping by attacking the neurological message sent from your brain to your muscles.
Other testing products (via alphafirstaid.com.au)
Our sister business Alpha First Aid had a great range of testing products.
To ensure performance levels are at their optimal, other testing may be needed in the way of alcohol and drug testing. We provide testing kits for both these purposes.
Alcohol testing through saliva tests and breathalysers are modern methods to quickly determine a person’s level of alcohol consumption. Saliva tests involve collecting a sample to analyse the presence of alcohol metabolites, indicating recent alcohol intake. Breathalysers measure the alcohol content in a person’s breath, providing an estimate of their blood alcohol concentration.
Drug testing in the workplace is a practice where employees are screened for the presence of certain drugs or substances to ensure a safe and productive work environment. This practice can also be important for sporting activities to ensure safety and performance is protected.
We offer tests using both urine and saliva that test for THC (marijuana), Methamphetamines (ice, ecstasy), Amphetamines (speed), Opiates (heroin, morphine, codeine), Cocaine, and Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium).