Running a marathon in temperatures above 25 degrees or cycling in the blazing sun: for many people, performing in the heat is an extra challenge. On more than one occasion, sporting events have even been cancelled because participants suffered from overheating. In addition to directly reducing performance, this can even be harmful to your health. It is therefore crucial that you keep your body constantly cooled if you want to perform in the heat. Read this blog to find out how the Amacx Ice Gels can help you do that.
The importance of a constant core temperature
The human body likes to maintain a stable core temperature of around 36.5 to 37 degrees Celsius, because at this temperature many processes in our body run optimally. However, during exercise a lot of heat is produced, which will cause the core temperature in the body to rise. To keep this rising core temperature under control, our body has various mechanisms for releasing heat. One of the best known of these is sweating: the body loses heat by transferring moisture to our skin and allowing it to evaporate. In addition, increased subcutaneous circulation, for example, also causes heat loss.
Loss of performance in hot and humid conditions
Environmental factors also play an important role in the body's heat management. The warmer the ambient temperature, the more difficult it is for the body to release its heat. The same goes for humidity: the higher it is, the harder it is to lose body heat through sweating. That is why a loss of performance due to the heat occurs particularly in warm, humid conditions. In these kinds of conditions, it is therefore increasingly important to help the body cool down.
Benefits of internal cooling for athletic performance
In addition to ‘external cooling’, for example by pouring cold water over the body, ‘internal cooling’ is also an important method of keeping body temperature under control during exercise in warm conditions. Ice slushes or ice lollies are ideally suited for this purpose, and scientific research has shown that these products are excellent at lowering core temperature from the inside. This ensures that performance in the heat remains at a high level for longer and that any heat exhaustion is delayed. Moreover, it offers a nice and pleasant subjective feeling of coolness.
Introduction of Amacx Energy and Turbo Ice Gels
To capitalise on this improvement in performance in a good and practical way, Amacx has added two new Ice Gels to its range. The Amacx Energy Ice Gel has all the benefits of the Amacx Drink Gel, for example providing 30 grams of carbohydrates in a 2:1 ratio, and also offers the necessary internal cooling in warm conditions. The Amacx Turbo Ice Gel is identical to the Amacx Turbo Gel, but gives you the feeling of a refreshing water ice lolly.
Thanks to these specific compositions, the Ice Gels can be perfectly combined with the other Amacx products. If you are aiming for an intake of up to 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour, combine the Amacx Energy Ice Gel with other products from the Energy Line. If you are aiming for an intake of over 90 grams of carbohydrates per hour in extreme circumstances, choose the Amacx Turbo Ice Gel in combination with other products from the Turbo Line.
In summary:
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During exercise, a lot of heat is produced in the body. This causes the body's core temperature to rise.
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If the core temperature rises too high, it results in a loss of performance. In extreme cases, a high body temperature can even lead to heat exhaustion.
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To prevent this, the body has various mechanisms to cool itself, for example by sweating. However, especially in warm and humid conditions, it becomes more difficult to cool the body sufficiently.
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We can help our body to keep its core temperature under control in these situations through ‘internal’ cooling. Taking an Amacx Ice Gel provides cooling from within, thus ensuring a lower core temperature. This ensures that you can maintain your performance in the heat and postpones heat exhaustion.
Both the Energy Line and Turbo Line include an Amacx Ice Gel, so it can always be perfectly integrated into your nutrition plan.
