In 2020, writer Bec Connolly put her skepticism aside to trial a new hydration supplement, ElectrAAte ®, developed by researchers from the University of Newcastle. Now, six years later, she shares her long-term results. First, let's revisit her original article as published in The Coalface Magazine in October 2020.
Don't Sweat It: The Original 2020 Article
By Bec Connolly, originally published in The Coalface Magazine, October 2020.
As it starts to warm up, it’s time to start thinking about how to stay hydrated, so this month we bring you the latest in hydration innovation.
Recently, I sat down with two researchers from The University of Newcastle, Professors Hugh Dunstan and Tim Roberts, who have spent the last three decades researching in the areas of chronic fatigue, sweat, protein, amino acids, and metabolism. Among the many things they have been studying are the causes of fatigue resulting from exercise and sweating, and the role played by amino acids in the recovery process.
Amino acids are the building blocks for protein, and protein provides the fuel we need to function. Hugh explained how when you are deficient in essential amino acids, you enter into a catabolic state which can have many adverse effects on your body.
"If your body doesn’t metabolise enough protein from the food you eat, it will instead begin to break down muscle. Depending on how hard you exert yourself, it can lead to muscle soreness, fatigue, reduced performance, and a longer recovery time," said Hugh.
Their research found that sweat contains six key amino acids that are lost at a much higher rate than others during exercise. While they can be replaced through normal metabolism, this process takes a long time. Meanwhile, the effects of fatigue and soreness have started to kick in.
Using their many years of research, they looked at how they could replace these amino acids instantly and by doing so, reduce fatigue, improve performance, and aid recovery. Their solution: the creation of a customised blend of amino acids and electrolytes. Through their company InnovAAte, Tim and Hugh have patented their first two products, ElectrAAte® and OptimAAte®.
But it's not just for those who exercise. Whether working outdoors on a hot day, sitting in an air-conditioned office, or lying by the pool, we are all losing sweat even when we don’t notice it, especially during the warmer months.
"We saw through our studies that roughly 80% of the general population were in a catabolic state and could potentially benefit from replacing amino acids," said Hugh. "By replacing these amino acids as we are losing them, it can help with fatigue, performance, and even general aches and pains."
As many of our long-time readers of this health page will know, I’m something of a sceptic when it comes to supplements. But I do love good science, and that’s exactly what’s behind this product. However, not content to just look at the research, this time I’ve put my own body on the line and become a guinea pig for Coalface readers.
It’s only been a couple of weeks since I’ve started taking ElectrAAte®, and preliminary results are in. First the bad news, my wrinkles haven’t gone away, and I still can’t do a chin-up. But there’s plenty of good news. For the last week, I’ve woken up before my alarm clock every morning feeling refreshed and ready to go. A long-time runner, I’ve always been plagued by stitches, but since taking a dose of ElectrAAte ® before each run, I haven’t had a single stitch. I’ve also not had a single cramp and I can see a general improvement in muscle recovery. To sum it up, I’ve been pushing myself harder and feeling better than ever.
Whilst this is only my own anecdotal experience and I can’t rule out the placebo effect, the results I’ve had are enough to convince me that these guys know what they are talking about. You can bet I’ll be keeping an eye out for more innovations from InnovAAte.
2026 Update from Bec
I first wrote about ElectrAAte back in October 2020, after meeting the researchers behind it, Hugh and Tim. I liked the science and despite my scepticism about supplements, I decided to give it a go. Fast-forward several years and now I don’t go a day without it. Whether running, training or just out and about on a hot day, I sweat a lot and before ElectrAAte ® my body paid the price. I was the queen of cramps and no body part was safe. Some abdomen cramps were so intense they looked like an alien trying to burst out of my body! These days, cramps are pretty much non-existent and while I still get the occasional stitch when running, it’s nothing like the severity or regularity I used to experience.Those results alone are fantastic but the real reason I take ElectrAAte ® day in and day out is restless legs. If you’ve had it, you know how maddening it can be. I tried all kinds of things to help but nothing worked - until I started taking ElectrAAte ®. My restless legs completely disappeared. On the rare occasions I’ve stopped taking it - and that’s only because I’ve forgotten to reorder - the restless legs have crept back within a few days. ElectrAAte ® isn’t a short-term fix for me. It’s part of my daily routine and I’ll be a lifelong customer.
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