Osmo Nutrition Review

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Hydrate. Fuel. Recover. That is the goal of every endurance athlete everywhere. Finding the perfect mix of ingredients can make or break a big challenge. Osmo Nutrition has introduced athletic fuel that is customizable. No two athletes are the same and workouts can have varying nutrition needs depending on the intensity, length and conditions.

Osmo’s line of athletic nutrition includes Preload Hydration, Active Hydration, Power Fuel and Rapid Recovery. Each of these products has a specific purpose in fueling the athlete. In my case, I am an endurance runner training for a tough 100 miler coming up in a few months. In an effort to improve my performance, I am testing out new-to-me endurance fuel for those long days of training. I want to control what I can control on race day. Nutrition being first!

Before the Long Run: Osmo Preload Hydration

The thought of pre-loading my hydration before a long run is not a new concept, but Osmo has created a Hyper Hydration Mix. The purpose of the preload is to prepare your body for a long effort or when you know you will be sweating heavily. The formula is high in sodium (1850mg per serving) so this is some serious stuff. It’s not recommended during your workout but to give you a head start on a day you know you will be suffering.

Osmo explains that the Preload Hydration will increase blood plasma for better circulation, regulate body heat to help delay fatigue and buffer lactic acid with sodium bicarbonate to reduce cramping. The recommended serving is one 22g serving mixed with 16 oz. of water one hour before your effort. For an exceptionally hard, long, hot workout, Osmo also recommends a serving the night before your event.

The product itself comes in one flavor, Pineapple Margarita, and it tastes like a salty, sweet drink. I thought the flavor was very palatable. Osmo was clever using margarita in the title which prepares you for the salt-on-the-rim flavor.

Stay Hydrated All Day with Osmo Active Hydration

The number one thing I would like you to take away from this paragraph is that Osmo’s Active Hydration is not meant to be your fuel source. When I first opened my pack of Osmo, I incorrectly assumed that the Active Hydration was the fuel. Once I took the deep-dive and figured out the correct use of each product, I learned that the Active Hydration is intended for short workouts. The formula of the Active Hydration contains a nice amount of sodium (260mg per 20g serving). While it does contain 17g of carbohydrates, they are fast burning cane sugar and dextrose. Active Hydration must be combined with Osmo Power Fuel for your long runs and extra hard workouts. More on Power Fuel in the next section.

Active Hydration comes in 4 flavors including Lemon Lime, Blackberry, Orange and Blueberry Pomegranate. The powered mix quickly dissolves and the flavors are mild. Personally, the mild flavor is a great component because I tend to get flavor fatigue during long events. I like to switch it up and give my mind something to think about besides my aching legs. Think of Active Hydration as the water and salt that you need for your short run but for long, intense sessions add the Power Fuel.

Osmo Nutrition Power Fuel

The base and strength of the Osmo Nutrition line is their Power Fuel. The Power Fuel’s primary ingredient is highly branched cyclic dextrin (HBCD), commonly referred to as cluster dextrin. There is some Fructose added in there as well which brings the carbohydrate content to a whopping 39g per serving. Only 11g of the carbohydrate content is classified as sugars. The result is a fast acting fuel source that isn’t hard on your gut and will help you sustain your energy longer. While I can’t give you the scientific why’s of how it works, I can tell you that IT WORKS! Power fuel is a carbohydrate fuel source that will not upset your gut or spike your insulin. It increases your insulin only moderately and provides athletes with a readily available source of energy that is easily tolerated. 

I am fortunate that I have an iron stomach when it comes to races, however, I have so many fellow athletes who struggle from gastric upset on race day. Fueling with sugary gels and drink mixes can reek havoc on a sensitive stomach. The HBCD has a high rate of gastric emptying. Less product in your gut means less of a chance of the mid-run bathroom breaks, vomiting or cramps.

The Osmo Nutrition Power Fuel comes in two unflavored varieties: Caffeine or No Caffeine. The flavor is lightly sugary and easy on the gut. Osmo recommends that you combine the Power Fuel with the Active Hydration for flavor. While I initially thought this was redundant and a little costly, I was amazed at how customizable the fuel was by using this combination.

But How Well Does it Work?

I used the Osmo Fuel over a month trying different combinations or the Power Fuel and Active Hydration. My last few long runs (one was a race) I had the combination fine tuned.

The Short Runs: I found that in my shorter runs (3-5 miles), I really liked the Active Hydration alone. It was easy to mix and drink quickly with the pre-measured, single serving packets. All of the varieties tasted great to me except for the Lemon Lime (which I don’t like in any drink mix). I found that I didn’t really need the added Power Fuel on these shorter runs. The Active Hydration was enough.

The Long Runs: I tested out Osmo Hydration on 4 long runs. The training runs (3) ranged from 10-15 miles and the race (1) was a 20k with 1,700′ of ascent. They were all solid efforts. I found that the Active Hydration alone was not enough to sustain the calories I needed during my longer runs but I didn’t cramp. Osmo clearly has the electrolyte balance perfect (I’m a heavy sweater). I tried adding the suggested 1 scoop of Power Fuel to my Active Hydration bottle and noticed a big difference in my endurance. After using it on two training runs, I was confident enough to try it on race day.

Race Day Results

Did I win? No. Did I kill my personal goal for the day? Heck yes! While the 20k wasn’t a super long distance, the race was in Leadville, Colorado with most of the race above 10,000 ft elevation. The climbs were brutal and the day was hot. I raced with the Active Nutrition and Power Fuel mixed. I did not supplement with salt tabs or gels. It was awesome! I never cramped and I felt solid as I sipped the drink throughout the race. My race pack carries two .5L bottles so I did have to refill at an aid station near the end. I had planned that ahead so I had premixed the Active Nutrition packet and my scoop of Power Fuel in a baggie for easy refueling during the race.

At the end of the race, my gut felt light, I had fueled like a champ and I felt good. My legs never had the bonked “heavy legs” and I performed better than I expected. As I focus my training toward my A-race for the year, the Leadville 100 Trail Run, I will keep Osmo Power Fuel in my arsenal for my long days of training.

Osmo Nutrition Rapid Recovery

If you are an endurance athlete, you know that your recovery routine is almost as important as your training plan. Osmo Nutrition created Rapid Recovery for the essential protein and amino acids necessary for recovery after a hard day of training. The powdered recovery drink is a mix of whey, micellar protein and caffeine. The ingredient list is pretty clear cut and most important to me, no artificial sweeteners! I tried both the Vanilla and Chocolate varieties mixed with water. The flavor of both was excellent with no bad aftertaste. I thought the mix was a little bit difficult to dissolve. I had to repeatedly shake the bottle to avoid drinking the undissolved product in my last drink.

Osmo suggests that you can mix a scoop of the Power Fuel with the Rapid Recovery to speed the replacement of your glycogen stores. I didn’t try this yet, but as my training days get longer and more intense, it is definitely something I will try. I expect that this will quell the urge for an after-run nap since I will be adequately restored. I will update this review if I find out differently.

Technical Specs

I included photos of all the labels so you could see the nutrition information for yourself. For more information on the complete nutrition in each of Osmo’s products and a great FAQ section, visit www.osmonutrition.com.

The Power and Convenience of Osmo Nutrition

I would encourage anyone to try different types of fuel as you train for an endurance event. After years of using a well known endurance fuel that was strictly water-sugar-salt, I was so happy to find something that felt different to my body. As I said previously, I can’t explain the science of highly branched cyclic dextrin. What I can share is my experience with Osmo’s Power Fuel. The mix is an easy drinking, unflavored, sweet fuel when mixed with water. Coupling it with the Active Hydration and following it up with the Rapid Recovery in an excellent combination. I am seeing my training step up to a new level of strong and I’m optimistic that this will be my best race season ever!

Each of Osmo’s products is available in a bulk package and also in a single serving size. This is super convenient when you keep a “running box” in your trunk as I do. I use the single serve packs for training and stowing in my pack and will use the bulk packaging when mixing my fuel on race days. Osmo is keeping up with the advances in race nutrition and is sure keep me running (literally) all night long.

The pricing for Osmo Nutrition may seem a little steep if you are mixing the Power Fuel with Active Hydration (about $3/serving) but look at what you get!  A combination of over 200 calories in one drink without stomach upset and with sustained endurance! That’s incredible. To check out all that Osmo has to offer, visit their website at www.osmonutrition.com.